don't
1 of 2contraction
1
: do not
I don't like it.
The shoes don't fit.
2
chiefly African American English
: does not
But she don't have any children.—
unidentified speaker, quoted in Corpus of Regional African American Language
unidentified speaker, quoted in Corpus of Regional African American Language"He's more of a … cocky dude when he is on the field," A.J. Terrell said. "He don't really show it off the field …—Derrian Carter
Derrian Carter… I felt it was necessary to reach out to her as a big sister and teammate. She don't know what she don't know coming into this league …—Erica Wheeler, quoted at The Star-Ledger (online)
Erica Wheeler, quoted at The Star-Ledger (online)
Usage of Don't
Don't was widely used as a contraction of both does not and do not in standard American English until about 1900, but by the early 20th century, schools were teaching that its use should be limited to do not. Don't as a contraction of does not continues to be used in African American English and some dialectal speech, where it is in keeping with other instances in which the third person singular verb has no inflection, such as "she go" or "he say."
: a command or entreaty not to do something
a list of dos and don'ts
Examples of don't in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2026
The Dos and Don'ts of Sampling Produce If you're offered the opportunity to sample produce before purchasing it, follow these dos and don'ts to stay safe and respectful, according to Parker.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
Target, software company SAP, cybersecurity company Zscaler and even the British civil service are among employers that outline do's and don'ts of using AI during recruiting.
—ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
Just be sure to check the dos and don'ts of Cosplay at Indiana Comic Con.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for don't
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Noun
In cases like my fantasy league, in which multiple people owe me money, there are a few dos and don'ts, says Diane Gottsman, a national etiquette expert and owner of the Protocol School of Texas.
—Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2026
The Dos and Don'ts of Sampling Produce If you're offered the opportunity to sample produce before purchasing it, follow these dos and don'ts to stay safe and respectful, according to Parker.
—Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
Target, software company SAP, cybersecurity company Zscaler and even the British civil service are among employers that outline do's and don'ts of using AI during recruiting.
—ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
Just be sure to check the dos and don'ts of Cosplay at Indiana Comic Con.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for don't
Cite this Entry
“Don't.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/don%27t. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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