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

“I don’t recall that he stayed more than 30 minutes,” Tongour said in an email.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

The spokesman also said that the reference to "Some people don't want it to work out" was not a swipe at his brother Prince William or any other member of his family.

From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026

The contributions don’t have to be huge, but every little bit counts.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

But a boom’s building blocks can stay expensive even after stock prices don’t.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 20, 2026

“In those times it was necessary. I really don’t like to talk of it. I have almost forgotten.”

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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