cannot

auxiliary verb

can·​not ˈka-(ˌ)nät 

kə-ˈnät, 

ka-ˈnät

: can not

see also:

cannot but

Usage of Cannot and Can't

In published, edited English prose, cannot is far more common than can not. An exception is usually made when the not following can is part of another phrase, such as "not only"; in such instances can not is the usual choice.

We can not only hope but also expect to succeed.

Can't has the same meaning as cannot, but as with contractions in general, it is somewhat informal.

Examples of cannot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Just like those unsavory relatives, leaders cannot—and should not—allow the behaviors of a certain few to hijack the culture for all. — Shannon Gabriel, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024

The reader can see what the characters cannot—what forced migration and residential schools have prevented them from seeing and sharing. — Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024

One of physicists’ great talents—starting with the laws of simple parts (such as atoms) and working up to a complex whole—cannot fully account for cells, animals, or people. — Adam Frank, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2025

That independence has allowed Carlson to shape political narratives in ways mainstream journalists often cannot—or will not. — Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cannot

can·​not ˈkan-(ˌ)ät 

kə-ˈnät, 

ka-ˈnät

: can not