Meanings
verbcannot but (third-person singular simple present cannot but, no present participle, simple past could not but, no past participle)
past could not but · alternative cannot help but · alternative can't help but · alternative can't but
- no past participleno present participleTo have to; to cannot help; to be unable to do otherwise than.
I cannot but applaud your zeal for preserving the purity of our language, both in its expressions and pronunciation, and in correcting the popular errors several of our States are continually falling into with respect to both.
1789, Benjamin Franklin, “Letter to Noah Webster, December 26, 1789”, in E. Sargent, editor, The select works of Benjamin Franklin, published 1855, page 498
Translations
French ne pas pouvoir ne pas
- ne pas pouvoir ne pascannot but
Polish nie móc nic poradzić, nie móc przestać
- nie móc nic poradzićcannot but
- nie móc przestaćcannot but
- nie móc się powstrzymaćcannot but
Spanish no poder evitar, no poder dejar de
- no poder evitarcannot but
- no poder dejar decannot but
Swahili siwezi lakini
- siwezi lakinicannot but
Cite this entry
APA
cannot but. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cannot%20but
MLA
“cannot but.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cannot%20but. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cannot but,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cannot%20but.
Source: cannot but on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.