Word
isn't
Phoneticsis·nt
Definitions
01is not
v. a short way of saying 'is not'.
v. the contracted form of 'is not', used as a negative auxiliary or copula.
“The weather isn't very nice today, so we should stay inside.”
“The current economic climate isn't particularly favourable for small businesses looking to expand into international markets.”
Usage
Used in speech and informal writing; in formal academic contexts, the full form 'is not' is preferred.
Pitfall
It isn't no problem.
It isn't a problem.
Avoid using 'isn't' with other negative words like 'no' or 'nothing' in the same sentence, as this creates a double negative.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02something that is not
n. a person or thing that does not have a certain quality.
n. a person or thing defined by the absence of a specific characteristic.
“In a world of experts, he felt like a complete isn't.”
“The philosopher spent the entire lecture distinguishing between the 'is' and the 'isn't' of human consciousness.”
Informal · Humorous
Teaching tip
This noun use is very rare and usually intended as a clever play on words; students should focus on the verb contraction.
Etymology
From is + -n't.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Collocations
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/isnt