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can't help

Idioms

Also,. Be unable to do otherwise. For example, I can't help thinking that the keys will turn up eventually, or He couldn't help but believe he would pass the entrance exam, or I cannot but applaud his efforts. The first of these phrases, can't help, is always followed by a present participle whereas the others take an infinitive. [c. 1700]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And yet, in the end, you can’t help but pity the man.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

“The Comeback” is a handy distilling mechanism for an industry that can’t help drowning itself in excess.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2026

“The parents can’t help it. They’re going to get something,” Kharasch said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

I can’t help people understand it because my own brain doesn’t understand it.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2026

At least not with typhus, though I can’t help but wonder if typhus might have gotten me that medical card.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023