can't even

English

Etymology

An aposiopesis of "(I) can't even believe it", "can't even process it" or some comparable expression.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkænt ˌiːvən/, /ˈkɑːnt ˌiːvən/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

can't even (third-person singular simple present can't even, no present participle, simple past couldn't even, no past participle)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see can't,‎ even.

   He’s nine years old, and can’t even tie his own shoelaces!

2. (slang) Without a following verb, as an expression of aporia: to be unable to express one's feelings about an overwhelming situation.

   Oh my God, I got cheap tickets to the Beyoncé concert! I can’t even!

   • 2019 October 23, Hayley Quinn, Paisley Gilmour, “An essential guide to 'zombieing' - the dating trend that's worse than ghosting”, in Cosmopolitan‎^[1]:

     I – being a MASSIVE IDIOT – had a go at him… then agreed to meet up again, but before that happened he… ghosted me again. I tracked him down on Facebook and and^[sic] he said his new phone had got water damage (I can’t even).

See also

• I can't
• unable to can

Further reading

• “I can’t even”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.