# won't

/ˈwoʊnt/ (US) · /wˈɒnt/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wont
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Definition

the short way to say 'will not'. You use it to talk about things that are not going to happen in the future or to say that someone refuses to do something.

For teachers: the contracted form of 'will not', used to express negative futurity or a refusal to perform an action.

## Examples

- I won't be able to come to the party tonight.
- The car won't start because the battery is completely dead after the cold night.
- Despite several attempts to negotiate a compromise, the committee won't budge on the proposed budget cuts for the upcoming fiscal year.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I will not to go" but "I won't go" — Like 'will', the contraction 'won't' is followed by the base form of the verb without 'to'.

## Usage notes

- A modal contraction; functions as an auxiliary verb followed by the bare infinitive of the main verb.

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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.