Synonyms of can

can 1 of 4

verb (1)

ˈkan 

1

as in to stop

slang to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end

can the chatter, or I'm kicking you out of this library

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stop
• cease
• halt
• end
• quit
• conclude
• discontinue
• delay
• suspend
• drop
• cut off
• break
• lay off
• desist (from)
• finish
• cut out
• shut off
• check
• leave off
• have done with
• break off
• complete
• give over
• break up
• pack (up or in)
• knock off
• hold
• close (down)
• hinder
• impede
• put the kibosh on
• stay
• block
• ruin
• suppress
• pause
• call
• obstruct
• detain
• destroy
• deactivate
• kill
• stem
• hold back
• abort
• scuttle
• turn back
• dissolve
• dam
• abolish
• squelch
• demolish
• brake
• stamp
• stunt
• clamp down
• arrest
• squash
• blockade
• stanch
• annul
• staunch
• rein (in)
• snuff
• kibosh

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• continue
• proceed
• carry on
• keep up
• run on
• advance
• progress
• drive
• follow through (with)
• stir
• propel
• actuate
• impel

2

as in to remove

to let go from office, service, or employment

the cashier was summarily canned for stealing from the registers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• remove
• dismiss
• sack
• retire
• fire
• release
• terminate
• axe
• muster out
• bounce
• ax
• discharge
• turn off
• pink-slip
• lay off
• excess
• send packing
• downsize
• show (someone) the door
• unseat
• cashier
• trim
• separate
• kick out
• chuck (out)
• throw out
• drum (out)
• boot (out)
• furlough

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• employ
• retain
• engage
• keep
• hire
• take on
• sign (up or on)
• contract
• recruit
• rehire
• reemploy
• subcontract

can

2 of 4

noun (1)

ˈkan 

1

as in barrel

a metal container in the shape of a cylinder

the shelter stores huge cans of water for an emergency

Synonyms & Similar Words

• barrel
• drum
• tin
• canister
• cannister
• bucket
• tin can
• pail
• cannikin

2

as in jail

a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody

the racketeers were rounded up and thrown in the can

Synonyms & Similar Words

• jail
• penitentiary
• prison
• brig
• cooler
• pen
• hold
• hock
• big house
• stir
• coop
• lockup
• bastille
• slam
• calaboose
• jug
• clink
• nick
• stockade
• guardroom
• jailhouse
• pokey
• slammer
• cage
• bridewell
• tank
• hoosegow
• joint
• tolbooth
• quod
• bull pen
• keep
• cell
• dungeon
• ward
• block
• concentration camp
• work camp
• labor camp
• hole
• prison camp
• guardhouse
• reform school
• glasshouse
• hulk(s)
• training school
• stalag
• gulag
• reformatory
• oubliette

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• outside

3

as in restroom

a room furnished with a fixture for flushing body waste

I excused myself and asked if I could use the can

Synonyms & Similar Words

• restroom
• bathroom
• toilet
• water closet
• convenience
• bath
• loo
• john
• washroom
• comfort station
• bog
• lavatory
• potty
• cloakroom
• latrine
• head
• privy
• pan
• pot
• commode
• powder room
• outhouse
• half bath
• ladies
• jakes
• ladies' room
• men's room
• garderobe

4

as in seat

the part of the body upon which someone sits

he fell on the ice and landed on his can

Synonyms & Similar Words

• seat
• cheeks
• tail
• bum
• behind
• rear end
• tail end
• rump
• bottom
• rear
• duff
• beam
• fanny
• butt
• buns
• backside
• hams
• fundament
• nates
• caboose
• buttocks
• breech
• posterior
• derriere
• booty
• haunches
• keister
• keester
• tush
• derrière
• heinie
• stern
• hunkers
• bootie
• moon

cans

3 of 4

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of can

1

as in stops

slang to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end

can the chatter, or I'm kicking you out of this library

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stops
• ends
• ceases
• quits
• drops
• halts
• breaks off
• leaves off
• lays off
• desists (from)
• cuts off
• has done with
• packs (up or in)
• knocks off
• gives over
• finishes
• breaks up
• shuts off
• cuts out
• checks
• delays
• discontinues
• blocks
• breaks
• concludes
• suspends
• puts the kibosh on
• stamps
• stems
• brakes
• closes (down)
• holds back
• holds
• ruins
• calls
• squashes
• stays
• turns back
• dams
• pauses
• completes
• stunts
• arrests
• reins (in)
• clamps down
• blockades
• deactivates
• stanches
• kiboshes
• scuttles
• destroys
• snuffs
• dissolves
• kills
• hinders
• suppresses
• squelches
• detains
• obstructs
• aborts
• impedes
• staunches
• annuls
• demolishes
• abolishes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• continues
• runs on
• carries on
• proceeds
• advances
• keeps up
• progresses
• drives
• follows through (with)
• stirs
• impels
• actuates
• propels

2

as in sacks

to let go from office, service, or employment

the cashier was summarily canned for stealing from the registers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sacks
• removes
• fires
• releases
• dismisses
• retires
• axes
• musters out
• discharges
• turns off
• cashiers
• shows (someone) the door
• terminates
• bounces
• excesses
• sends packing
• lays off
• pink-slips
• trims
• kicks out
• boots (out)
• downsizes
• throws out
• furloughs
• drums (out)
• separates
• chucks (out)
• unseats

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• takes on
• keeps
• employs
• signs (up or on)
• retains
• hires
• engages
• contracts
• recruits
• reemploys
• subcontracts
• rehires

cans

4 of 4

noun (2)

plural of can

1

as in barrels

a metal container in the shape of a cylinder

the shelter stores huge cans of water for an emergency

Synonyms & Similar Words

• barrels
• tins
• canisters
• drums
• cannisters
• buckets
• pails
• tin cans
• cannikins

2

as in jails

a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody

the racketeers were rounded up and thrown in the can

Synonyms & Similar Words

• jails
• prisons
• penitentiaries
• coolers
• jugs
• pens
• brigs
• coops
• hocks
• tanks
• clinks
• cages
• stockades
• bastilles
• big houses
• slammers
• joints
• pokeys
• nicks
• lockups
• tolbooths
• bridewells
• guardrooms
• stirs
• cells
• hoosegows
• jailhouses
• holes
• quods
• slams
• calabooses
• holds
• dungeons
• bull pens
• hulks
• wards
• concentration camps
• work camps
• guardhouses
• labor camps
• keeps
• prison camps
• blocks
• glasshouses
• gulags
• training schools
• reformatories
• reform schools
• stalags
• oubliettes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• outsides

3

as in restrooms

a room furnished with a fixture for flushing body waste

I excused myself and asked if I could use the can

Synonyms & Similar Words

• restrooms
• bathrooms
• toilets
• baths
• washrooms
• water closets
• lavatories
• potties
• latrines
• bogs
• conveniences
• comfort stations
• pots
• loos
• johns
• heads
• cloakrooms
• pans
• privies
• outhouses
• commodes
• jakes
• ladies
• half baths
• powder rooms
• garderobes
• ladies' rooms
• men's rooms

4

as in seats

the part of the body upon which someone sits

he fell on the ice and landed on his can

Synonyms & Similar Words

• seats
• cheeks
• bums
• tails
• buns
• rumps
• fannies
• butts
• behinds
• bottoms
• hams
• rear ends
• breeches
• fundaments
• backsides
• nates
• rears
• duffs
• cabooses
• haunches
• heinies
• posteriors
• hunkers
• tail ends
• tushes
• buttocks
• beams
• keisters
• booties
• keesters
• derrières
• sterns
• derrieres
• moons

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of can

Noun

Grocery stores pack their shelves with cans upon cans of baked beans, each one ready for your next cookout or a hearty breakfast. —Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 May 2025

The Leafs star winger nearly spilled his can of Molson Canadian under Domi’s weight. —Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 2 May 2025

The refreshed bottles and cans will roll out throughout the next several months. —Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025

Aluminum cans from Anheuser-Busch that held drinking water and were handed out after various flooding disasters rest on display. —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2025