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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.

When an only child reads something like that, she can’t help but think: Gosh, how enviable.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

Villarreal: Whenever I watch something based on a true story or people that were like historical figures, I can’t help but Google to see if something really happened.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

"But I can't help but think of the fellow artists who aren't here with us."

From BBC • May 29, 2026

If you get a prop, you can’t help it; you’re gonna have to do a thing with a thing.

From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026

But I can’t help wondering if there are other kids in those apartments whose moms are lost.

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

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