don't

American  

[dohnt] / doʊnt /

verb

1. contraction of do not.

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

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noun

1. 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

1. do not

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Etymology

Origin of don't

First recorded in 1600–10

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Compare meaning

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

• don't vs. doesn't

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

don't

She has admitted that herself, saying, “These seminal moments where you have to go in and tell the president what he wants to do is unconstitutional or will cost lives. I don’t have that.”

From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026

"The kids are very distraught, they are suffering, they've lost their mother at the moment and we genuinely don't know what to do about it," he said.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

It’s not going to rain hammerheads and sea horses, I don’t think, but coastal destruction could be dramatic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

And you can force yourself to do things that you don’t want to do in the moment.

From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026

“I don’t think those thieves will be circling back,” he says to me and Father.

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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