I can't

English

Pronunciation

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Interjection

I can't

1. (slang, often with with) Indicating that one is overwhelmed with a situation, due to it being extremely hilarious, emotional, frustrating, etc.
   • 2010 December 8, “i cant”, in Urban Dictionary‎^[1], archived from the original on 19 January 2012:

     jan "did you see her facebook status? she wrote about how she's so hot and everyone wants her" / karen "ugh i cant bro"

   • 2012 July 9, Molly Lambert, “True Blood Season 5, Episode 5: ‘Let’s Boot and Rally’”, in Grantland‎^[2], archived from the original on 22 January 2014:

     Nutjob holds a gun up to Terry’s head, lowers it, and tells a spooky story about the evil fire’s guided missile powers. According to Nutjob, it’s because one of the Iraqi civilian women put an Ifrit curse on them before they killed her, which Terry confirms with a flashback. Ugh, I can’t with this damn show sometimes (most of the time).

   • 2013 January 17, Stephan Lee, “Top Chef recap: Kristen is eliminated, Josie skates by”, in Entertainment Weekly‎^[3], archived from the original on 24 February 2015:

     NEXT: Ugh, I can’t with this Judges’ Table … / At the Judges’ Table, it was clear that Sheldon’s restaurant had the better food, although it had worse service.

   • 2016 February 24, Freya Noble, “'Zero f**ks are given': Comedian Em Rusciano hits back after being slammed by angry mothers for posting Peppa Pig bacon meme”, in Daily Mail‎^[4], London: DMG Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 2016-02-24:

     'I mean... There really is something to offend everyone isn't there? Can you imagine bothering to write this? My 'mocking meme'?! Ugh. I can't with this today. I don't care. Outrage yourself sick lady,' [Em] Rusciano wrote alongside the complaint.

   • 2016, CheetOh! Brand Book:

     […] She is soooo cute” / tres_chiwawas: “You’re such a doll Cheeto!!” / in_heger: “OMG I can’t with this.”

   • 2017 July 10, Morgan Murrell, “Someone Created A Fake Video Game Where Celebrities Fight Each Other And It's Hilarious AF”, in BuzzFeed‎^[5], archived from the original on 10 July 2017:

     Someone Created A Fake Video Game Where Celebrities Fight Each Other And It's Hilarious AF / LOL, I can't!

   • 2018 November 21, Christy Piña, “10 Photos Of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Gazing Into Each Other's Eyes, So Swoon Away”, in Elite Daily‎^[6], archived from the original on 22 November 2018:

     05 / Ugh, I can't with this look. I'm melting.

   • 2020, M. Renee Carol (pseudonym; Natasha Jones), Betrayal, Loyalty & Secrets II: Revenge and Karma, NMCJ Books Publishing, →ISBN, page 161:

     “April, I know how you and your brother are so don’t try to play me child. How do you kids say it? I’m lit and turned up too!” We all broke into laughter. Leave it to my mama to mess up any new slang. Bless her heart. “Mama, I can’t with you today,” I said, laughing.

   • 2021, Katie Zhao, How We Fall Apart, Bloomsbury YA, →ISBN, page 218:

     Akil: Maybe they’re desperate for a prom date and shooting their shot last minute, it’s hard out here yo / Krystal: Omg I can’t with you . . . and what the hell is “the finale” they have planned? Sounds scary

   • 2022, Amanda E. White, Not Drinking Tonight: A Guide to Creating a Sober Life You Love, Hachette Go, →ISBN:

     “I guess I should probably stop beating myself up,” Tara says. “I’d say so. But here’s the trap. You also can’t beat yourself up for beating yourself up,” I say with a wink. “OMG, I can’t with you today!” Tara says half joking, but I can tell based on her expression that this session really opened her eyes and gave her a lot to think about.

   • 2022, Jamila Rowser, “Group Chat”, in Wash Day Diaries, Chronicle Books, →ISBN, page 50:

     Davene: I expect nothing less! / Kim: Typical! Lmao 😂 / Cookie: I can’t with you lololol

   • 2022 July 22, Sameen Chaudhry, “Hinge Told A TikToker She's 'Most Compatible' With Her Brother & They Had The Best Reactions”, in Narcity‎^[7], archived from the original on 27 July 2022:

     "When your brother is ur most compatible on Hinge," reads the caption over her video. The first clip shows a screenshot of Zander's profile with a Hinge banner over the top saying: "Most Compatible: Aliah and Zander, we think you two should meet." […] One person wrote: "Hinge said sweet home Alabama. lmao, I can't."

2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see I,‎ can't.

See also

• can't even
• unable to can

 

Further reading

• “I can't”, “I cant”, in Urban Dictionary, launched 1999.
• “I can’t even”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present: “I can’t even or I can't or I cannot even”
• Patricia T. O’Conner, Stewart Kellerman (2012 August 3) “What’s with “I can’t with”?”, in The Grammarphobia Blog‎^[8], archived from the original on 2012-08-06: “You won’t find this sense of “I can’t with” in standard references, but it’s definitely out there. And if enough people use it, we may be seeing it in dictionaries someday.”