can
auxiliary verb
to be able to; have the ability, power, or skill to.
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c-n.
can
1 American
[kan, kuhn]
/ kæn, kən /
auxiliary verb
-
can,
present (3rd person singular)
-
could
past
-
to be able to; have the ability, power, or skill to.
She can solve the problem easily, I'm sure.
-
to know how to.
He can play chess, although he's not particularly good at it.
-
to have the power or means to.
A dictator can impose his will on the people.
-
to have the right or qualifications to.
He can change whatever he wishes in the script.
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may; have permission to.
Can I speak to you for a moment?
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to have the possibility.
A coin can land on either side.
verb (used with or without object)
-
can,
present (3rd person singular)
-
could,
past, past participle
-
cunning
present participle
can
2
American
[kan]
/ kæn /
noun
-
cans
plural
-
a sealed container for food, beverages, etc., as of aluminum, sheet iron coated with tin, or other metal.
a can of soup.
-
a receptacle for garbage, ashes, etc..
a trash can.
-
a bucket, pail, or other container for holding or carrying liquids.
water can.
-
a drinking cup; tankard.
-
a metal or plastic container for holding film on cores or reels.
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Slang. jail.
He's been in the can for a week.
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Slang: Sometimes Vulgar. buttocks.
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Slang. cans, a set of headphones designed to cover the ears.
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Military Slang.
-
a depth charge.
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a destroyer.
-
verb (used with object)
canned,
canning
-
to preserve by sealing in a can, jar, etc.
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Slang. to dismiss; fire.
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Slang. to throw (something) away.
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Slang. to put a stop to.
Can that noise!
-
to record, as on film or tape.
idioms
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carry the can, to take the responsibility.
-
in the can, recorded on film; completed.
The movie is in the can and ready for release.
can.
3
American
abbreviation
-
canceled.
-
canon.
-
canto.
Can.
4
American
abbreviation
-
Canada.
-
Canadian.
can
1
British
/ kæn /
noun
-
a container, esp for liquids, usually of thin sheet metal
a petrol can
beer can
-
another name (esp US) for tin
-
Also called: canful. the contents of a can or the amount a can will hold
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a slang word for prison
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a slang word for toilet or buttocks See toilet
-
navy a slang word for destroyer
-
slang navy a depth charge
-
a shallow cylindrical metal container of varying size used for storing and handling film
-
informal a complicated problem
-
See carry
-
-
(of a film, piece of music, etc) having been recorded, processed, edited, etc
-
informal arranged or agreed
the contract is almost in the can
-
verb
-
to put (food, etc) into a can or cans; preserve in a can
-
slang (tr) to dismiss from a job
-
informal (tr) to stop (doing something annoying or making an annoying noise) (esp in the phrase can it! )
-
informal (tr) to reject or discard
can
2
British
/ kæn, kən /
verb
-
used as an auxiliary to indicate ability, skill, or fitness to perform a task
I can run a mile in under four minutes
-
used as an auxiliary to indicate permission or the right to something
can I have a drink?
-
used as an auxiliary to indicate knowledge of how to do something
he can speak three languages fluently
-
used as an auxiliary to indicate the possibility, opportunity, or likelihood
my trainer says I can win the race if I really work hard
Can.
3
British
abbreviation
-
Canada
-
Canadian
can
More Idioms
Usage
Can but and cannot but are formal and now somewhat old-fashioned expressions suggesting that there is no possible alternative to doing something. Can but is equivalent to can only: We can but do our best. Cannot but is the equivalent of cannot help but: We cannot but protest against these injustices. See also help.
Commonly Confused
Can1 and may1 are frequently but not always interchangeable in senses indicating possibility: A power failure can (or may ) occur at any time. Despite the insistence by some, that can means only “to be able” and may means “to be permitted,” both are regularly used in seeking or granting permission: Can (or May ) I borrow your glue gun? You can (or may ) use it tomorrow. Sentences using can occur chiefly in spoken English. May in this sense occurs more frequently in formal contexts: May I address the court, Your Honor? In negative constructions, can't or cannot is more common than may not : You can't have it today. I need it myself. The contraction mayn't is rare.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
cansimple
-
have couldperfect
-
has couldperfect
-
am cunningprogressive
-
are cunningprogressive
-
is cunningprogressive
-
have been cunningperfect progressive
-
has been cunningperfect progressive
Past
-
couldsimple
-
had couldperfect
-
was cunningprogressive
-
were cunningprogressive
-
had been cunningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of can1
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English, present indicative singular 1st, 3rd person of cunnan “to know, know how”; cognate with German, Old Norse, Gothic kann; see ken, know 1
Origin of can2
First recorded before 1000; Middle English canne, can(e), Old English canne, cognate with German Kanne, Old Norse kanna, all perhaps from West Germanic; compare Late Latin canna “small vessel”
Explanation
A can is a metal container, usually cylindrical in shape, which has an airtight seal when it's new. All kinds of goods come in cans, from fruit and vegetables to paint and oil. The verb can means to preserve food in a can or glass jar. If your garden produces more tomatoes than you can possibly eat, you might make salsa and can it to eat all winter long. Can is also a slang word with several meanings. It means rear end, toilet, and it also means to fire someone: "Watch out, the boss canned three people yesterday! You could be next."
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.
See Examples For:
“I take my dream very seriously,” Luke said, “and I just try and do everything I can possible on and off the field to make my dream come true.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
"Event planning must therefore assume that a crocodile sighting is possible… No natural waterway in crocodile country can be guaranteed to be crocodile-free."
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
When yields jolt higher, older bonds in a portfolio that offer less income can lose value.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
It’s not something I do regularly, but with the right group of people, it can definitely be a fun and unforgettable night.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
She volunteers as a secretary for the Patients Federation so she can learn office and secretarial skills.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
"We try to help the Ukrainians where we best can. We also have active conversation channels with American negotiators," he added.
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
“We need to get sick people out of their communities as fast as we can. We are doing our best to work with local leaders; otherwise, they will continue infecting others,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
"If they can do it, I can. It's representation. It's connection. It's my identity."
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
“We’re all comrades in this. I feel so good to be here and help however I can. Many of us don’t have that luxury.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
“You both can. She has two sides, you know.”
From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko
When the apartment finally went quiet, I opened my Notes app and typed: “You. Can. Have. It. All.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025
Max Dufour Montreal, Can., backside 360 kickflip tail grab to fakie 3.
From Time Magazine Archive
Those of British Columbia, Can., gave the Provincial franchise but had not the power to give it for Dominion elections.
From The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume V by Ida Husted Harper
If, however, there is soreness of the throat, redness and soreness of the tonsils, palate, and fauces, or soreness of the larynx, with hoarseness, Arum triphyllum and Hydrastus Can. are the surest remedies.
From An Epitome of the Homeopathic Healing Art Containing the New Discoveries and Improvements to the Present Time by B. L. (Benjamin L.) Hill
Salt-marshes and shores, Can. to Ga.—Var. elòdes, Gray, slender, often low and simple; leaves thickish, long, narrowly linear, entire, the uppermost small and bract-like; scales narrow, with short and mostly spreading acutish tips.
From The Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States Including the District East of the Mississippi and North of North Carolina and Tennessee by Asa Gray
Krista Ellis, the district’s head of school nurses, described the cans as a kind of status symbol—vibrant packaging paired with the thrill of a head rush.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Known for its distinctive bottles and cans, the company built a large following through social media marketing and celebrity collaborations.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
At Burning Man, there are no garbage cans.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
When AFP visited, she was carrying water in large, plastic jerry cans and hand-washing clothes in a bowl on the dirt floor.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
Horses clopped down the road, she said, bringing milk in huge cans.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
She was home alone and needed help lifting her beloved pet’s body into her car so she could take it to be cremated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
The administration also claims that “severe structural deterioration” could require tearing down the building, citing an incident in which a chunk of ceiling collapsed during a recent storm.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
The Fed on Wednesday indicated inflation could finish the year at around 3.7% and only get back to its 2% target in 2029.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
A single social-media post could bring a civil fine of $1,000.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
It could appear out of nowhere and last a few seconds or a few minutes.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
He is cunning, not intelligent — something he unwittingly proves every time he claims that passing a basic mental competency test shows his brilliance.
From Salon ● Jul. 6, 2026
Hatcher — a Pomo shape-shifter who dodges prejudice by passing as Mexican in the novel — is a thorny protagonist, often cunning, scheming and unforgiving.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
He was the runner-up in 2022, armed with the cunning plan of writing a good song – the 70s glam rock pastiche Space Man – and being good at performing it.
From BBC ● May 17, 2026
"King George, as you know, never set foot in America. And please rest assured, ladies and gentlemen, I am not here as part of some cunning rearguard action."
From Barron's ● Apr. 29, 2026
“Why, Kyle Keeley, do you really think I am that cunning and clever?”
From "Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics" by Chris Grabenstein
Soybean oil appears in salad dressings, mayonnaise, baked goods, infant formula, snacks and fried foods; soy lecithin emulsifies chocolate and bread; and soy protein fortifies energy bars, breakfast cereals and canned soup.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
The ruling indicates total imports of canned vegetables into Canada rose in 2025 by 28% from the previous year, with the U.S. accounting for a substantial portion of the total volume growth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
It also says "Meghan's TV comeback has been canned", attributing the information to a "top royal author".
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Keep foods like dried and canned beans, canned tomatoes, tinned fish, olive oil, and a variety of whole grains on hand so you always have something to cook with.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026
For myself, corned beef hash and canned fruit.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
Meanwhile, Bumble Bee Foods plans to lay off 197 workers on Nov. 19 and estimates that it will lay off another 36 workers when the fish canning facility finally closes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
The Kiribati government says it is expanding the country's own tuna processing and canning facilities rather than just selling licences to foreign ships.
From BBC ● Apr. 26, 2026
While the canning process preserved the outer structure of the worms, it destroyed the internal features scientists would need to identify specific species.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 1, 2026
Chicken of the Sea International is studying whether the ruling could help revive production at a Georgia canning plant that relies on imported tuna.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026
“Yeah, me and Mama are gonna start canning this weekend,” Stella said.
From "Stella by Starlight" by Sharon M. Draper
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.
