# can't

/ˈkænt/ (US) · /kˈɑːnt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cant
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. unable to

verb · CEFR A1

to be unable to do something because you lack the skill, strength, or opportunity.

For teachers: denotes a lack of ability, capacity, or opportunity to perform an action.

- I'm sorry, but I can't speak French very well yet.
- Despite his extensive training, the pilot found he can't override the automated system once the emergency protocol has been initiated.

### 2. not allowed to

verb · CEFR A1

to not have permission to do something.

For teachers: indicates a lack of permission or a prohibition against a specific action.

- You can't park your car here because it is a private driveway.
- Under the current safety regulations, visitors can't enter the laboratory without wearing full protective gear and a monitored badge.

### 3. impossible

verb · CEFR B1

used to say that something is certainly not true or possible.

For teachers: expresses a strong logical deduction that a state or event is impossible.

- That can't be the right house; it looks much too small.
- He can't have finished the entire report already, as he only started working on the data analysis two hours ago.

### 4. unwilling to

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal · Slang

used when you really do not want to do something or find it too difficult to face.

For teachers: used colloquially to express a total lack of desire or emotional capacity to engage with a situation.

- I just can't with this weather today; I'm staying in bed.
- After three hours of listening to his complaints, I decided I just can't even deal with his drama anymore.

Teaching tip: This usage is often seen in the phrase 'I can't even' to show extreme frustration or disbelief.

## Examples

- I can't swim very well yet.
- The office is closed today, so we can't finish the paperwork until Monday morning.
- While the technology exists to automate these tasks, we simply can't implement it without a significant increase in our annual infrastructure budget.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.