Collocations for "cannot"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "cannot" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
can
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.v
- can [see, hear, smell, tell]
- can [count to ten, speak French, play the piano]
- can't [swim, drive, read]
- can be [used, found, done]
- can be [difficult, hard, tough] (to)
- can only [think, hope, imagine]
- things can only [get better, improve]
- you can [be sure, count on me]
- [I, we] can safely say (that)
- [I, we] can only hope (that)
- I can't [swim, be bothered, even]
- (it) can take [hours, days, up to]
- you can talk!
- can the [vegetables, jam]
- canning [vegetables] for [winter, the year]
- a [beer, paint, soda] can
- [a tin, an aluminum] can
- a watering can
- put your cans in the recycling
- recycle your cans
- would you like a can of soda?
- opened a can of [beans, tomatoes, soup]
- slang: was [thrown, tossed] into the can
- slang: was locked up in the can
- slang: sent to the can for [20 years, life]
- slang: need to [use, go to] the can
- slang: am going to open a can of whoop ass on you
- you don't want to open that can of worms
- the [scene, episode, movie] is in the can
- carried the can for the [error, mistake, defeat, loss]
- a can [opener, crusher]
- can recycling
'cannot' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Thursday
- abide
- accept
- accountable
- accurately
- afford
- allow
- alone
- articulate
- aside
- attend
- attorney
- awake
- awe
- bargain
- bear
- betrayal
- bigot
- bolt
- breathe
- bring
- buy
- certain
- certainty
- clarification
- clarity
- clearly
- clog
- close
- compare
- compete
- conceive
- condition
- conjunction
- connect
- conscience
- contemplate
- control
- conversely
- conviction
- criticism
- cure
- currency
- dairy
- dark
- decision
- defeat
- delay
- digest
- disease