can't seem to

Idioms

Be apparently unable to, as in No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to concentrate on this book. This phrase gives added emphasis to a negative statement, as in the example. [Late 1800s]

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.

"We just can't seem to stop talking about the leadership," as one cabinet minister, who wants "resilient" Starmer to stay, puts it.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Since the start of 2026, the White House ballroom has become a topic Trump is so fixated with that he can’t seem to stop talking about it.

From Slate • Apr. 30, 2026

In “Man on Fire,” the intense, angry and vengeful Creasy is protecting Poe from a multilayered criminal conspiracy in Rio de Janeiro and can’t seem to keep her in tow.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

Nvidia just can’t seem to impress the market any more.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

“Now I can’t seem to think of it....I miss you, Nat. I...I...When I go to tell you a joke and you’re not there...I miss you most awfully.”

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham

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