cannot

[kan-ot, ka-not, kuh-]

verb

1. a form of can not.

cannot

/ kæˈnɒt, ˈkænɒt /

verb

1. an auxiliary verb expressing incapacity, inability, withholding permission, etc; can not

Spelling Note

Cannot is sometimes also spelled can not. The one-word spelling is by far the more common: Interest rates simply cannot continue at their present level. The contraction can't is most common in speech and informal writing.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cannot¹

A Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. cannot but, have no alternative but to.

   We cannot but choose otherwise.

see under can't.

Example Sentences

We come to know him, but we cannot like him.

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"We cannot afford to let this conversation pass us by and close the book on legislative change for the rest of this parliament," Cole-Hamilton told MSPs.

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You cannot just slouch in off the street on a whim, assuming you have a couple hundred dollars burning a hole in your pocket.

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Instead, the Israeli raid made the Americans look like an ally that cannot protect their friends.

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One solution for the underinsured would be to buy more coverage, but as premiums rise faster than incomes, many cannot afford to.

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