Negative Prompting: The Power of Telling AI What NOT to Do

10 min read By FindSkill Team

Most prompt guides focus on what to ask for. But the real power is in exclusion—telling AI what NOT to do. Learn when and how to use negative prompting effectively.

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Everyone tells you what to ask AI.

“Be specific.” “Add context.” “Define your goal.”

All good advice. But there’s another technique that’s criminally underused:

Telling AI what NOT to do.

This is negative prompting. And it’s weirdly powerful.

What Is Negative Prompting?

Negative prompting is exactly what it sounds like: explicitly excluding things you don’t want in the output.

Instead of just describing what you want, you also specify what to avoid.

Positive prompting: “Write a professional email to a client.”

Negative prompting added: “Write a professional email to a client. Don’t use corporate jargon. Don’t exceed 100 words. Don’t include pleasantries like ‘I hope this email finds you well.’”

The second version eliminates AI’s default behaviors that you don’t want.

Why Exclusion Works

AI models are trained on massive datasets that contain patterns—lots of patterns.

When you ask for “a professional email,” the AI activates all the patterns associated with professional emails in its training data:

  • Formal opening lines
  • Corporate phrases like “circle back” and “touch base”
  • Standard closings
  • Often wordy, overly polite phrasing

These are defaults. AI thinks this is what professional emails look like because that’s what was in the training data.

But here’s the thing: you might not want those defaults.

Negative prompting is how you override them.

You’re not just saying what you want. You’re actively steering away from what you don’t want.

When AI’s Defaults Hurt You

Here are common situations where AI’s learned defaults work against you:

Default: Formal, Corporate Tone

The problem: When you ask for “professional” content, AI often defaults to stiff, boring business-speak.

What happens: “I wanted to reach out regarding your inquiry…” “Per our conversation…” “Moving forward, we should…”

The fix: “Write professionally but don’t sound corporate. Don’t use phrases like ‘per our conversation,’ ‘reach out,’ or ‘moving forward.’”

Default: Overly Long Explanations

The problem: AI loves to be thorough. Sometimes too thorough.

What happens: You ask for a summary. You get three paragraphs when two sentences would do.

The fix: “Summarize in 2 sentences max. Don’t include background information. Don’t explain concepts.”

Default: Generic Advice

The problem: Without constraints, AI gives broad, safe answers.

What happens: “To improve your marketing, consider your target audience, develop a content strategy, measure results, and optimize over time.”

Cool. Useless.

The fix: “Give specific tactics. Don’t give generic advice like ‘know your audience’ or ‘measure results.’ Don’t include anything I could find in a textbook.”

Default: Bullet Points Everywhere

The problem: AI loves lists. Even when you want prose.

What happens: You ask for an explanation. You get:

  • Point one
  • Point two
  • Point three

The fix: “Explain in paragraph form. Don’t use bullet points. Don’t use numbered lists.”

Negative Prompting for Tone

Tone is where negative prompting shines.

AI’s tone defaults rarely match what real people want. Here’s how to override them:

Don’t Be Formal

Before: “Write a welcome message for new app users.”

AI output: “Welcome to our platform. We are pleased to have you as a valued member of our community. Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with our features…”

Ugh.

After: “Write a welcome message for new app users. Don’t be formal. Don’t use words like ‘pleased,’ ‘valued,’ or ‘familiarize.’”

AI output: “Hey! Welcome to [App]. Let’s get you started. Here’s what you need to know…”

Way better.

Don’t Use Jargon

Before: “Explain our B2B SaaS platform to potential customers.”

AI output: “Our cloud-based solution leverages cutting-edge technology to deliver best-in-class functionality that empowers stakeholders to drive synergies…”

Word salad.

After: “Explain our B2B SaaS platform to potential customers. Don’t use jargon. Don’t use words like ’leverage,’ ‘synergies,’ ’empower,’ ‘solution,’ or ‘cutting-edge.’”

AI output: “[App] helps sales teams track leads and close deals faster. It works in your browser—no installation needed.”

Clear. Human.

Don’t Be Overly Polite

Before: “Write a reminder to a team member about an upcoming deadline.”

AI output: “I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to kindly remind you that the project deadline is approaching. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

After: “Write a reminder to a team member about an upcoming deadline. Don’t include pleasantries. Don’t say ‘I hope this finds you well’ or ‘please don’t hesitate.’ Just the reminder.”

AI output: “Quick reminder: the project is due Friday. Let me know if you need anything.”

Direct. Respectful. Not weirdly formal.

Don’t Sound Like AI

Before: “Write a social media post about our new feature.”

AI output: “Exciting news! We’re thrilled to announce our latest feature. This game-changing addition will revolutionize the way you work. Learn more: [link]”

Every word screams AI-generated.

After: “Write a social media post about our new feature. Don’t use words like ’excited,’ ’thrilled,’ ‘game-changing,’ or ‘revolutionize.’ Don’t use exclamation points. Sound like a real person wrote this.”

AI output: “We just shipped a new feature: automatic backups. Your data saves every hour now. No setup needed.”

Sounds human.

Negative Prompting for Format

Format exclusions prevent structural issues.

Word/Length Limits

Without limit: “Write an intro for my blog post.”

AI output: 300 words of intro when 50 would work

With limit: “Write an intro for my blog post. Don’t exceed 75 words. Don’t include background I could put in the main body.”

Forces conciseness.

No Lists (When You Want Prose)

Without exclusion: “Explain how our refund policy works.”

AI output: “Our refund policy includes:

  • 30-day window
  • Original payment method
  • Proof of purchase required
  • Exclusions apply”

With exclusion: “Explain how our refund policy works. Don’t use bullet points or numbered lists. Write in complete sentences.”

AI output: “You can request a refund within 30 days of purchase. We’ll credit your original payment method. You’ll need your receipt. Some items can’t be returned—check the product page.”

More readable for certain contexts.

No Specific Structural Elements

Example: “Write a product description. Don’t include a headline. Don’t include a call-to-action. Just the description.”

Or:

“Explain this concept. Don’t start with a definition. Don’t include examples. Just the core explanation.”

You control exactly what appears.

Negative Prompting for Content

The most powerful use: excluding specific types of content.

Removing Repetitive Information

Context: You’re in a conversation with AI. It keeps restating things you both already know.

Fix: “Continue the analysis. Don’t repeat information from previous messages. Don’t restate the problem. Just the new insights.”

Avoiding Specific Topics

Example: “Give me marketing ideas for my fitness app. Don’t suggest social media ads—we already do that. Don’t suggest influencer partnerships—budget is too small. Don’t mention content marketing—we have a blog.”

Eliminates useless suggestions.

Skipping Disclaimers

Problem: AI loves disclaimers.

“This is not financial advice…” “I’m not a lawyer, but…” “Results may vary…”

Fix: “Explain tax deductions for freelancers. Don’t include disclaimers about not being a tax professional. Don’t tell me to consult an expert. I know. Just the information.”

Gets to the point.

Excluding Generic Filler

Before: “Write tips for better sleep.”

AI output: “Getting quality sleep is essential for health and well-being. In today’s fast-paced world, many people struggle with sleep issues. Here are some evidence-based strategies to improve your sleep quality…”

Blah blah blah.

After: “Write tips for better sleep. Don’t include introductory statements about why sleep matters. Don’t include conclusions. Just the tips.”

AI output: “1. Keep your room cool (65-68°F) 2. No screens 1 hour before bed 3. Same sleep schedule every day—including weekends 4. No caffeine after 2pm 5. Exercise, but not within 3 hours of bedtime”

All signal, no noise.

When Negative Prompting Backfires

Here’s the catch: negative prompting can create the exact thing you’re trying to avoid.

This is called the “Don’t think of an elephant” problem.

If I tell you “Don’t think of an elephant,” what happens?

You think of an elephant.

Same thing can happen with AI.

The Problem

Bad negative prompt: “Write a story. Don’t make it sad.”

What happens: The AI fixates on “sad,” and the story becomes melancholic anyway. Or it overcompensates and becomes aggressively cheerful.

Bad negative prompt: “Explain blockchain. Don’t use technical terms like ‘distributed ledger,’ ‘cryptographic hash,’ or ‘consensus mechanism.’”

What happens: The AI now associates these terms with the explanation and might use them anyway—or awkwardly dance around them.

The Fix: Combine Positive and Negative

Better approach: “Write an uplifting story. Don’t include sad or tragic elements.”

(Positive direction + negative exclusion)

Better approach: “Explain blockchain in simple terms, like you’re talking to someone with no technical background. Don’t use jargon like ‘distributed ledger,’ ‘cryptographic hash,’ or ‘consensus mechanism.’”

(Positive framing + specific exclusions)

When to Use Positive Only

If mentioning the thing you want to avoid might make it appear, just use positive instructions:

Instead of: “Don’t write in a boring way.”

Use: “Write in an engaging, conversational style.”

Instead of: “Don’t be vague.”

Use: “Be specific and concrete.”

Positive framing avoids planting the seed of the problem.

25 Useful Negative Prompt Additions

Here are reusable negative instructions you can drop into prompts:

Tone

  1. “Don’t use corporate jargon”
  2. “Don’t be overly formal”
  3. “Don’t use exclamation points”
  4. “Don’t sound enthusiastic—be neutral”
  5. “Don’t include pleasantries or small talk”

Format

  1. “Don’t exceed [X] words”
  2. “Don’t use bullet points”
  3. “Don’t use numbered lists”
  4. “Don’t include a headline”
  5. “Don’t include a conclusion”

Content

  1. “Don’t repeat information already mentioned”
  2. “Don’t include background or context”
  3. “Don’t include examples”
  4. “Don’t explain concepts—just the facts”
  5. “Don’t include disclaimers”

Style

  1. “Don’t use passive voice”
  2. “Don’t use adverbs”
  3. “Don’t use metaphors or analogies”
  4. “Don’t use flowery language”
  5. “Don’t start sentences with ‘It’s important to note that’”

Common AI Phrases to Avoid

  1. “Don’t say ‘in today’s world’”
  2. “Don’t use ’leverage’ as a verb”
  3. “Don’t say ‘game-changing’ or ‘revolutionary’”
  4. “Don’t say ‘delve into’”
  5. “Don’t say ’needless to say’”

Save these. Drop them into prompts when relevant.

Combining Positive and Negative Instructions Effectively

The best prompts use both.

Positive instructions tell AI what to create. Negative instructions eliminate unwanted defaults.

The Formula

[What you want] + [How you want it] + [What to avoid]

Example 1: Email

Positive: “Write a professional email declining a meeting request.”

How: “Keep it brief and polite.”

Negative: “Don’t apologize excessively. Don’t offer lengthy explanations. Don’t suggest specific alternative times—just indicate you’re unavailable.”

Full prompt: “Write a professional email declining a meeting request. Keep it brief and polite. Don’t apologize excessively. Don’t offer lengthy explanations. Don’t suggest specific alternative times—just indicate you’re unavailable.”

Example 2: Code Documentation

Positive: “Write documentation for this API endpoint.”

How: “Focus on practical usage.”

Negative: “Don’t include background about why the endpoint exists. Don’t explain HTTP basics. Don’t include error codes that never occur in practice.”

Full prompt: “Write documentation for this API endpoint. Focus on practical usage. Don’t include background about why the endpoint exists. Don’t explain HTTP basics. Don’t include error codes that never occur in practice.”

Example 3: Product Description

Positive: “Write a product description for noise-canceling headphones.”

How: “Focus on benefits, not features. Target commuters.”

Negative: “Don’t use words like ‘premium,’ ’luxury,’ or ‘cutting-edge.’ Don’t mention technical specs like frequency response. Don’t say ‘perfect for’ or ‘ideal for.’”

Full prompt: “Write a product description for noise-canceling headphones. Focus on benefits, not features. Target commuters. Don’t use words like ‘premium,’ ’luxury,’ or ‘cutting-edge.’ Don’t mention technical specs like frequency response. Don’t say ‘perfect for’ or ‘ideal for.’”

The Balance

  • Too much positive, not enough negative: You get AI’s defaults mixed in with what you want.
  • Too much negative, not enough positive: AI doesn’t know what to do—only what NOT to do.
  • Both: You guide creation and eliminate unwanted patterns.

Aim for 60% positive direction, 40% negative exclusion.

Practical Workflow

Here’s how to build negative prompts:

Step 1: Start with Positive

Write your basic prompt. What do you want?

“Write a blog intro about productivity apps.”

Step 2: Get Initial Output

See what AI gives you.

“In today’s fast-paced world, productivity apps have become essential tools for professionals seeking to optimize their workflow and achieve their goals…”

Step 3: Identify Unwanted Patterns

What do you hate about this?

  • “In today’s fast-paced world” (generic opening)
  • “essential tools” (vague)
  • “optimize” and “achieve their goals” (jargon)

Step 4: Add Negative Instructions

“Write a blog intro about productivity apps. Don’t start with ‘in today’s world.’ Don’t use words like ’essential,’ ‘optimize,’ or ‘achieve your goals.’ Don’t be generic—get specific.”

Step 5: Iterate

Still not right? Add more exclusions or adjust positive instructions.

This workflow works because you’re responding to actual output, not guessing what might go wrong.

The Bottom Line

Most prompt advice focuses on what to ask for.

But AI comes with defaults—learned patterns from its training data. Sometimes those defaults are exactly what you don’t want.

Negative prompting overrides defaults.

It’s how you say:

  • “Be professional, but not corporate”
  • “Be thorough, but concise”
  • “Be helpful, but skip the disclaimers”

The technique is simple: just add “don’t” statements.

But the impact is huge. You eliminate generic outputs, avoid AI’s quirks, and get closer to what you actually want.

So next time you write a prompt, ask yourself:

What do I NOT want in this output?

Then tell AI.

You might be surprised how much that “don’t” improves the “do.”