Synonyms

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

"When they tell me 'you're messing up', it's because they're right. And when they tell me I've played well, it's because I have. I don't listen to what's said outside."

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

The category can also include some Treasury bills dated for more than three months that don’t count as cash.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

How can you compete for championships if you don’t have a championship defense?

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026

Parton asked them to withdraw the bill, saying that “given all that is going on in the world, I don’t think putting me on a pedestal is appropriate at this time.”

From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2026

“You don’t want you or Midnight to overheat.”

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

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