cants 1 of 3

noun (1)

plural of cant
as in inclines
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cants

2 of 3

noun (2)

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

cants

3 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of cant
as in tilts
to set or cause to be at an angle carefully canted the ladder against the wall

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 cants
Noun
The fairway cants to the right. — ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cants
  1. inclines
  2. dialects
  3. tilts
  4. slopes
  5. vocabularies
  6. angles
  7. inclinations
  8. languages
Noun
  • The riverfront includes steep inclines, large rocks and uneven ground that can be difficult for workers or machinery to manage safely.
    — Sophia Buonpane, Kansas City Star, 29 June 2026
  • Combat travel stiffness with simple SITS exercises (shoulder shrugs, inclines, twists, steps) and consider chiropractic care before and after your trip for spinal alignment.
    — Sherry McAllister, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Definition of inclines
Noun
  • Korea and China just demonstrated, in their very different dialects, that friction can be deliberately put back.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • In India, the book Why Tibet Matters has been translated into 15 local dialects to galvanize solidarity among the host community.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 9 July 2026
Definition of dialects
Verb
  • That district, which used to favor Democrats, now tilts Republican.
    — Annie Martin, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 July 2026
  • When force is applied, the pillar tilts toward the point of contact, compressing the corresponding chamber and pushing fluid through soft tubes to actuators.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
Definition of tilts
Noun
  • Culture Is An Ecosystem, Not A Machine Kirstenbosch was formally established as a national botanical garden in 1913 on Table Mountain’s eastern slopes.
    — Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The hot, dry winds move down the southern slopes of the Santa Ynez Mountains and risk spreading fires rapidly if there’s an ignition.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of slopes
Noun
  • This gap can help explain why some children’s vocabularies grow so much faster than others.
    — Michelle Kearney, The Conversation, 7 July 2026
  • Do the formal vocabularies that are supposed to encode my field actually capture how the people in it think?
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of vocabularies
Verb
  • Outdoor curtains lend some privacy while providing a bit of shade when the sun angles in at sunrise and sunset.
    — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 23 June 2026
  • Moon angles her chin and the light dims in her eyes.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
Definition of angles
Noun
  • The solution Ciufolini proposed decades ago while working with physicist John Archibald Wheeler was to use two satellites in supplementary orbits, meaning with orbital inclinations that sum to 180 degrees.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026
  • Getty Choosing a college major has always been a big life decision, influenced by not only personal inclinations and talents, but also by starting salaries.
    — Courtney Connley-Hampton, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of inclinations
Noun
  • Xavi speaks six languages and has lived in some of the world’s most iconic cities.
    — Jay Harris, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • Diversity also emerges as a key strength, with the World Cup showcasing a rich tapestry of cultures and languages, a value 80% of organizations still champion.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of languages

Browse Nearby Words

cantrips
cants
canty
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cants.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cants. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on cants

Nglish: Translation of cants for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of itinerant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All