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

Compare meaning

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

• don't vs. doesn't

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

don't

"If this trend keeps happening one or two years down the line, I don't know," she said.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Don’t listen at doors, don’t worry about what other people say or think about you, and don’t chase corporations offering them money when you have already done the right thing.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026

“Clean up after yourself, maybe clean up after one another, and don’t take anything home with you that you didn’t bring,” Tucker said when asked what she’d say to the park’s visitors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

But those efforts don’t seem to have caught on.

From Slate ● Jul. 21, 2026

I don’t leave others amazed, mystified, or utterly beguiled.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold