can't

See also cant

English

Etymology

can +‎ -n't, since 1706 .

Pronunciation

• (Australia) enPR: känt, IPA: /kaːnt/, SAMPA: /ka:nt/

• Audio (AUS)

  (file)

• (UK) enPR: känt, IPA: /kɑːnt/, SAMPA: /kA:nt/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːnt
• (US) enPR: kănt, IPA: /kænt/, SAMPA: /k{nt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ænt
• Homophone: cant
• (NY) IPA: /keənt/, SAMPA: /ke@nt/

Contraction

can't

1. cannot; is unable to; does not have the ability to

   I can't quite get it to work.

2. is forbidden to; is not permitted to

   You can't enter the hall without a ticket.

Antonyms

• be able to, can,
• Sense 2 only must

See also

• Appendix:English tag questions

Translations

For other translations, see can and not.

cannot — see cannot

Statistics

• Most common English words before 1923: ye · common · subject · #440: can't · ready · ought · written

Anagrams

• NCTA