diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/strings/str_/contains.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/strings/str_/contains.rs
index abb0ce1a2b..bc1d5bcf11 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/strings/str_/contains.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/strings/str_/contains.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ impl Command for SubCommand {
                 "For a data structure input, check strings at the given cell paths, and replace with result.",
             )
             .switch("ignore-case", "search is case insensitive", Some('i'))
-            .switch("not", "does not contain", Some('n'))
+            .switch("not", "DEPRECATED OPTION: does not contain", Some('n'))
             .category(Category::Strings)
     }
 
@@ -59,6 +59,20 @@ impl Command for SubCommand {
         call: &Call,
         input: PipelineData,
     ) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
+        if call.has_flag(engine_state, stack, "not")? {
+            nu_protocol::report_error_new(
+                engine_state,
+                &ShellError::GenericError {
+                    error: "Deprecated option".into(),
+                    msg: "`str contains --not {string}` is deprecated and will be removed in 0.95."
+                        .into(),
+                    span: Some(call.head),
+                    help: Some("Please use the `not` operator instead.".into()),
+                    inner: vec![],
+                },
+            );
+        }
+
         let cell_paths: Vec<CellPath> = call.rest(engine_state, stack, 1)?;
         let cell_paths = (!cell_paths.is_empty()).then_some(cell_paths);
         let args = Arguments {
@@ -120,15 +134,6 @@ impl Command for SubCommand {
                     Value::test_bool(false),
                 ])),
             },
-            Example {
-                description: "Check if list does not contain string",
-                example: "[one two three] | str contains --not o",
-                result: Some(Value::test_list(vec![
-                    Value::test_bool(false),
-                    Value::test_bool(false),
-                    Value::test_bool(true),
-                ])),
-            },
         ]
     }
 }