よもや
Meanings
1
surely not; certainly not
Used with a negative sentence to express strong disbelief or conviction that something cannot happen. Often carries a rhetorical or emphatic tone.
I never thought he would do such a thing.
I never dreamed we would lose.
Usage patterns
- よもや〈事〉ではあるまいsurely that can't be the case
Surely he can't be the culprit.
- よもや〈動詞〉ないだろうsurely (someone) won't do ~
Surely he wouldn't say such a thing.
- よもや〈事〉とは思わなかったnever imagined that ~ (of all things)
I never imagined he would actually win.