# isn't

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

## Senses

### 1. is not

verb · CEFR A1

a short way of saying 'is not'.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. something that is not

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · Humorous

a person or thing that does not have a certain quality.

For teachers: 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.

Teaching tip: This noun use is very rare and usually intended as a clever play on words; students should focus on the verb contraction.

## Examples

- He isn't coming to the party tonight.
- The weather forecast says it will rain, but it isn't raining at the moment.
- While the proposal sounds promising on paper, it isn't necessarily the most cost-effective solution for a small business with limited capital.

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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.