isn't
Americancontraction
Pronunciation
Isn't is often pronounced in the South Midland and Southern U.S., with , a stop consonant, substituting for , a sibilant. This substitution results from an assimilatory process in which the tip of the tongue, in anticipation of the articulatory position for the following , touches the upper alveolar ridge. This same process gives for wasn't and for business. These pronunciations are heard from speakers on all social levels.
Usage
See contraction.
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.
Postpartum psychosis isn’t widely understood, which is why, at least in part, this trial is so misunderstood.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
The suit, Paramount has said, misrepresents the current state of the entertainment industry, particularly because it isn’t considering the streaming marketplace in its evaluation of competition and market share.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
"This isn't about political posturing," Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, a Republican, said Monday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 24, 2026
California faces long-standing criticism that the state isn’t doing enough to return seized assets to its owners.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026
“Trey isn’t clueless, he’s not, so now he knows, and I’m not sure I can ever talk to him again. Goodbye, blackberry compote.”
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
