aren't
American-
contraction of are not.
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contraction of am not (used interrogatively).
contraction
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are not
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informal (used in interrogative sentences) am not
Usage
The social unacceptability of ain't, the historical contraction of am not, has created a gap in the pattern of verbal contractions. I'm not, the alternative to I ain't, has no corresponding interrogative form except ain't I. In questions, ain't I is often avoided by the use of aren't I: I'm right, aren't I? Aren't I on the list? This aren't is simply a different outcome of the same historical development that yielded ain't, but the fact that it is spelled and pronounced like the contraction of are not (as in You are staying, aren't you? ) apparently gives it, for some, an acceptability that ain't lacks. The use of aren't I is objected to by others because a declarative counterpart, I aren't, does not exist. Many speakers, however, prefer aren't I to the uncontracted, rather formal am I not. See also ain't, contraction.
Etymology
Origin of aren't
As contraction of am not, a doublet of ain't (without raising of the vowel), spelling aren't by r-less speakers; ar was later substituted for the long a by speakers who regularly pronounce pre-consonantal r
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The Iranians just aren’t able to shut it all down.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
“All it takes is a few people to say bad things or say things about JapanLA, things about me, that aren’t true, for it to just go crazy.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026
"These forecasts aren't deterministic -- there is uncertainty," said Peter K. Enns, professor of government and policy at Cornell.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
Other compelling contenders would be outright additions to the S&P universe, meaning that they aren’t already in the midcap or small-cap benchmark indexes managed by S&P Dow Jones Indices.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026
“That is, if you aren’t busy at the moment.”
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
