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cannot

cannot

9.9
A state of being unable to do something
  • noun
  • /ˈkænɒt/
  • Archaic
translation icon : imposibilidad

Examples

  • When one part of you is down, the whole cannot function properly.

  • "Cannot" is the correct interpretation, Kara Stavokal.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • By the way, the girl's face 'CMI' (Cannot-Make-It).

    Blog text (9)
  • I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO SEE WHAT OTHERS CANNOT.

  • Her constant self-doubt resulted in a sense of cannot when faced with challenges.

  • The athlete's injury led to a deep cannot that prevented her from competing in the championship.

  • In moments of despair, he felt a cannot to pursue his passions, as if all hope had vanished.

Synonyms

inability
vscannot
177 2.8

Not able to do something you need to do

is the older literary term for that same state
incapacity
vscannot
9 5.4

Not able to do things because your body or mind does not work well

is the general, now literary term not tied to cause
incapability
vscannot
1 6.0

Not being able to do something because you lack the ability

is the archaic word used for that lack
incapableness
vscannot
7.4

A lack of ability to do something

is the literary label for that general quality
unfeasibility
vscannot
9.3

The fact that something cannot be done

describes a state of not being able rather than absolute impossibility

Antonyms

1.0

Skill or power to do something

capability
  • Specialized
107 4.0

How well a material can stand up to a treatment or condition

How Able

mastery
37 4.2
competence
69 4.1
ability
1.0
cannot
  • Archaic
9.9

Surface Forms

cannot singular

Morphology

cannot = can + not (opaque) = can + not

Although historically formed from 'can' + 'not', the noun sense meaning 'inability' is archaic/rare and not predictable to learners from the components alone.

Etymology

As a noun, cannot names the state of being 'not able' or an inability, so it is just the idea of lacking can (ability), which is why you find it in old poems and books to show someone cannot do something.