Usage of Don't
Don't is the earliest attested contraction of does not and until about 1900 was the standard spoken form in the U.S. (it survived as spoken standard longer in British English). Dialect surveys find it more common in the speech of the less educated than in that of the educated; in those places (such as the Midland and southern Atlantic seaboard regions) where it has lasted in educated speech, it is most common with older informants. Surveys of attitudes toward usage show it more widely disapproved in 1971 than it had been 40 years earlier. Its chief use in edited prose is in fiction for purposes of characterization. It is sometimes used consciously, like ain't, to gain an informal effect.
Examples of don't in a Sentence
Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2024
Professional organizers share the dos and don'ts of shed storage.
—Sarah Lyon, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2024
World Athletics outlines the rules that govern the Games, stating attire dos and don'ts.
—Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 6 Aug. 2024
Learn the dos and don'ts of a bedtime routine for your kids.
—Vincent Iannelli, Parents, 30 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for don't 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'don't.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Don't.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/don%27t. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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