verb · intransitive · frequent

can't

can't · can'ts · can'ted · can'ting

Cannot; be unable to; not have the ability toCannot (negative modal auxiliary); be unable to; not have the ability to (whether due to lacking relevant strength or skill or knowledge or supplies, or due to logical impossibility, etc).

US/kˈænt/

Meaning

3 senses

Cannot (negative modal auxiliary); be unable to; not have the ability to (whether due to lacking relevant strength or skill or knowledge or supplies, or due to logical impossibility, etc).
I can’t quite get it to work.
Shut up, can’t you?
To be forbidden to; to be not permitted to.
You can’t enter the hall without a ticket.
(euphemistic, slang)To be unwilling to; to not have the desire of; to don’t want to.
Will you come to dinner with us tonight? Can't; already have plans this evening.

Origin

From can + -n't, since 1706 or earlier.

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

can'ts, can'ting, can'ted, can'ted

Base form	can't · to can't
3rd person singular	can'ts
Present participle	can'ting
Past simple	can'ted
Past participle	can'ted

regular

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, they	can't
he, she, it	can'ts

Past simpleLesson

all persons

can'ted

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, they	have can'ted
he, she, it	has can'ted

Future simple (will)Lesson

all persons

will can't

Antonyms

4 antonyms

be able to canA1 have toA1 mustA1

Lessons for this word

1 lessons

A1Present simple — Because it is a verb