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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.

“Of course, it’s concerning to watch the news, and you can’t help but feel terribly sorry for people who are exposed to all these terrible things,” Hagen said.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

“You can’t help but be nervous,” Commander Wiseman said preflight; the adjustments now seem to have worked.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

"Number two: I've been asking that question for several years and they won't tell me the answer, so I can't help you."

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

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

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026

Ama’s talking to Autumn, but I can’t help but think about my own situation—how I didn’t have the courage to wear the dashiki to school.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

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