can't stand

Idioms

Also,. Thoroughly dislike; be unable to put up with something or someone. For example, I can't stand the sight of her; she's obnoxious, or I can't bear to leave the country, or I can't stomach a filthy kitchen. The oldest of these synonymous expressions is can't abide, which Shakespeare used in 2 Henry IV (3:2): “She could not abide Master Shallow.” Can't stand dates from the early 1600; can't bear dates from about 1700 and often but not always is used with an infinitive; can't stomach dates from the late 1600s and today is less common than the others.

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.

"I can't carry petrol because what if it catches fire? If I can't stand up, I'll get badly burned," he says.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2026

If you can’t stand the heat, better get out of the market’s kitchen.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

There will be short, sharp peaks and valleys, but if you can’t stand the rises and falls in altitude, hand over those anxieties to your silent, hardworking virtual self.

From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026

In another interview, with NBC News, he said, “I can’t stand my voice.”

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

“I can’t stand these things a moment longer. Heavens, I'm dead beat. I don’t believe I’ve missed a dance. Anyway, it was a tremendous success.”

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

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

can't stand

Example Sentences

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