Neq in LaTeX

The LaTeX command for neq (≠) is \neq (not equal).

\neq

Relations · Unicode ≠ (U+2260) · no package needed

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Which command should you use?

Command	Package	Use it when
`\neq` recommended	none	Not equal.
`\ne`	none	Short name for the same command.
`\not\equiv`	none	Not congruent: \not puts a slash through the next symbol.
`\nleq`	`amssymb`	A ready-made negation, better drawn than \not\leq.

Table 1. Ways to write neq in LaTeX. Every line was compiled with pdfLaTeX (TeX Live 2026) loading only the package shown.

Common mistake. != typed in a formula prints an exclamation mark and an equals sign, and a pasted ≠ fails under pdfLaTeX. Type \neq.

How to type Neq

Write \neq inside math mode, that is between $…$ for inline math or in a \[ … \] or equation block for display math. It is part of core LaTeX math, so no extra package is required.

Example

$x \neq 0$

x \neq 0

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Related Relations symbols

\models\asymp\doteq\triangleq\lessapprox\gtrapprox=<>\leq\geq\leqslant\geqslant\ll

Relation symbols in LaTeX: the full table or search all 350+ LaTeX symbols.

FAQ

How do you write neq (≠) in LaTeX?

Use \neq in math mode; it needs no extra package. For example, $x \neq 0$.

Which package provides \neq?

None: \neq is built into LaTeX, so no extra package is required.

What is the most common mistake with neq in LaTeX?

!= typed in a formula prints an exclamation mark and an equals sign, and a pasted ≠ fails under pdfLaTeX. Type \neq.