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.

“You can’t help but be nervous,” Commander Wiseman said preflight; the adjustments now seem to have worked.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

And then — because I can’t help myself — a whisper of cardamom.

From Salon • Mar. 31, 2026

They’re so repetitious, you can’t help but tune them out.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

But Robicheau can't help feeling anxious about her future and whether she will be able to continue working in a public school while being visibly Muslim in Quebec.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026

I can’t help the happy that beams out of me.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

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