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can't help

Idioms

Also,. Be unable to do otherwise. For example, I can't help thinking that the keys will turn up eventually, or He couldn't help but believe he would pass the entrance exam, or I cannot but applaud his efforts. The first of these phrases, can't help, is always followed by a present participle whereas the others take an infinitive. [c. 1700]

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.

Here, in a conversation edited for length and clarity, Field discusses making “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” her transition from TV to film and why she can’t help but keep continuing to perform.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

It’s a song about a ne’er-do-well who can’t help messing up, and Mr. Kahan wishes the best for him—hoping his greatest fears are earthly threats like personal safety and cancer and not eternal damnation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

The portfolio has grown, but I can’t help feeling that it hasn’t grown as much as it could have.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026

“Of course, it’s concerning to watch the news, and you can’t help but feel terribly sorry for people who are exposed to all these terrible things,” Hagen said.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

I can’t help but smile picturing a bug-eyed dog in a bow tie.

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023