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cant 1 of 4

noun (1)

Definition of cantnext
as in inclination
the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon a steep cant of the riverbank at that turn in the river

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cant

2 of 4

noun (2)

1
as in deception
the pretending of having virtues, principles, or beliefs that one in fact does not have many accused the evangelist of cant, since his lavish lifestyle seemed to bear little resemblance to what he was preaching

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2
as in terminology
the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field the colorful cant used by movie producers and publicity agents in Hollywood

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cant

3 of 4

adjective

as in leaning
running in a slanting direction the cant buttresses on the interior walls are made of solid oak

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cant

4 of 4

verb

as in to tilt
to set or cause to be at an angle carefully canted the ladder against the wall

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cant
Noun
The front end has a shark nose design and the top edge of the hood cants foward. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 21 May 2026 The fairway cants to the right. — ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
The center screen is handsomely integrated well below your road-facing sightline, and slightly canted toward the driver for exceptional readability. — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 21 Jan. 2026 Alex stood across the living room, his head canted down and his eyes fixated on a carousel of TikTok videos emanating from his mother’s cellphone. — Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cant
  1. inclination
  2. deception
  3. terminology
  4. oblique
  5. tilt
  6. slope
  7. deceit
  8. vocabulary
Noun
  • In 2024, the Caltech team presented additional findings, which specifically focused on long-period, low-inclination objects that are known to traverse Neptune's orbit.
    — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Unlike Emery’s inclination for new signings to bed in, Jackson has had no period of grace.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of inclination
Noun
  • Leaders managing autonomous agent deployments across enterprise environments have spent years auditing outputs for compliance, deception vectors and guardrail breaches.
    — Terry Oroszi, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Those charges cover a wide range of behaviors related to schemes in which money or property is obtained through deception and interstate electronic communications.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of deception
Noun
  • While the terminology can vary based on a deal’s parameters, naming rights, title and presenting sponsorships are present in three of Europe’s Big Five soccer leagues.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • That requires someone who can teach those ideas and terminologies to players who learn in different ways and at different speeds.
    — David Aldridge, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of terminology
Adjective
  • Swanson, in his first game back from an oblique strain that cost him one month, finished 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Since then, Winding Refn has continued down that path, making visually sumptuous and narratively oblique films (often with stars, or emerging stars) that increasingly feel like dream visions.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of oblique
Verb
  • Photos from Reuters after the crash showed the aircraft with its nose on the ground and tail tilted up.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Some Cardinals players were spotted in their dugout ahead of the game sporting crooked caps, and one player incorporated a slight hat-tilting motion into his post-hit celebration.
    — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of tilt
Noun
  • In place of the squardrop-style slope at the front of the roofline, this one is a pure, uninterrupted box, ensuring that the full amount of headroom is available from the back door to the front wall.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Farther south in Arcadia, the village of Vytina puts the eight slopes of Mainalo Ski Centre within reach of a village stay.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of slope
Noun
  • Their topics include the limits of authenticity and how to grasp understanding in a world awash in deceit.
    — Christopher Coffman, The Conversation, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The state alleges OpenAI's rapid success stems from deceit and exploitation, causing widespread harm to Floridians and subverting public order.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceit
Noun
  • The number quickly became part of the national vocabulary, printed on memorials, spoken at ceremonies and repeated every September as the number of FDNY firefighters who died at the World Trade Center.
    — Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
  • But after September 11, Islam was thrust into the center of the country’s political imagination largely through the vocabulary of terrorism.
    — Ayman M. Mohyeldin, Vanity Fair, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of vocabulary

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cans
cant
cantankerous
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Cite this Entry

“Cant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cant. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cant

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cant

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