carry the can

phrase

British, informal

: to accept blame or responsibility for something that one did not cause

He made the error, but she was left to carry the can.

Taxpayers will carry the can for the renovations.

Examples of carry the can in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

So where does that leave those who carry the can for security and governance? — Arti Raman, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for carry the can

• assemblyman
• carbofuran
• catamaran
• chipewyan
• illinoian
• newspaperman
• nurseryman
• afghan
• bedpan
• began
• caveman
• chapin