don't

American

[dohnt] / doʊnt /

verb

contraction of do not.
Nonstandard except in some dialects. contraction of does not.

noun

don'ts, customs, rules, or regulations that forbid something.

The boss has a long list of don'ts that you had better observe if you want a promotion.

don't British

/ dəʊnt /

contraction

do not

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of don't

First recorded in 1600–10

Compare meaning

How does dont compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

don't vs. doesn't

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.

See Examples For:

don't

“I don’t care about the money,” he told her.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026

"I feel like you don't really have a choice when you're in this situation and you have to just go. You obviously get good and bad days."

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

When it comes time to sell your home, don’t overlook tax breaks that could save you a significant amount of money.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 8, 2026

"I just don't want to drink," he says.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

I don’t know what numbers will be called in next week’s lotto; I’ve no idea who’ll win the Super Bowl or when Rihanna’s gonna grace us with new music.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

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