How is a negative connotation used in a sentence?

Answer 1

In English (and in many other languages), word have a dictionary meaning (which is called the "denotation) and a cultural meaning (or "connotation"). The denotation is neutral and just defines what the word means or how it is used in a grammatically correct sentence. But the connotation reflects whether the word makes people think of something positive or whether it is associated with something negative.

For example, take the word "fat"-- the dictionary say it means overweight. But in a culture that values being thin, the word "fat" has a very negative connotation. Or take the word "Communist"-- the dictionary basically defines it as a political philosophy, or it refers to a person who believes in this philosophy. But in the United States, it has a very negative connotation, and is associated with being opposed to capitalism or being an anti-American radical. Thus, in trying to use "negative connotation" in a sentence, you would offer a word that is perceived as a bad thing by the culture, and explain why it is perceived this way.