Is 'cant' related to 'can't'?

No, they are false friends. 'Cant' (hypocritical talk/jargon) and 'can't' (contraction of 'cannot') are completely different words with different origins and pronunciations.

Can 'cant' be used as a verb?

Historically, yes, meaning 'to talk hypocritically' or 'to use jargon'. However, this verb form is now archaic and rarely used in modern English. The noun form is standard.

What's the difference between 'cant', 'jargon', and 'slang'?

'Jargon' is neutral technical language of a group. 'Slang' is informal, often playful language. 'Cant' can mean jargon/slang (especially of criminals), but primarily carries a strong negative meaning of insincere, morally-loaded language.

It is not an everyday conversational word. It is a mid-frequency word found primarily in formal writing, analysis, and criticism where the precise critique of language is needed.

How do you pronounce “cant”?

Cant: in British English it is pronounced /kant/, and in American English it is pronounced /kænt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

cant: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

UK/kant/US/kænt/

Formal, literary, critical. Often used in political commentary, sociological analysis, and literary criticism.

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Quick answer

What does “cant” mean?

Hypocritical and sanctimonious talk, especially about religion or morality.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

Hypocritical and sanctimonious talk, especially about religion or morality; insincere, pious jargon; the specialized vocabulary of a particular group or profession.

Can refer to insincere, empty, or formulaic language used to appeal to a group, often with a moral or ideological veneer. Also refers to the specialized slang or jargon of a subculture, profession, or criminal underworld. Implies a disconnect between the words spoken and the true beliefs or actions of the speaker.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Usage is very similar. The 'hypocritical talk' sense is slightly more common in UK political discourse. The 'jargon/slang' sense is equally used in both.

Connotations

Equally negative in both varieties when referring to hypocrisy.

Frequency

Moderate frequency in analytical writing; low frequency in everyday spoken language.

Grammar

How to Use “cant” in a Sentence

[Subject] + dismiss/despise/reject + [Object: the/such] + cant[Subject: speech/language] + be + [Complement: nothing but/mere] + cant

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

political cantreligious cantmoral cantempty cantsanctimonious canthigh-sounding cant

medium

the usual cantrevolutionary cantideological cantprofessional cantreject the cant

weak

cant phrasescant wordscant expressioncant term

Examples

Examples of “cant” in a Sentence

verb

British English

(Archaic) He would cant about the virtues of poverty while living in luxury.

American English

(Archaic) The politician was canting about family values.

adverb

British English

(Not applicable)

American English

(Not applicable)

adjective

British English

(Obsolete/Rare) Not used in modern English.

American English

(Obsolete/Rare) Not used in modern English.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Rare. Might be used critically: "The CEO's speech was full of corporate cant about 'synergy' and 'disruption'."

Academic

Common in literary criticism, sociology, political science: "The study examines the nationalist cant of the era's propaganda."

Everyday

Uncommon. Used by educated speakers in critical discussion: "I'm tired of all the political cant during the election."

Technical

In linguistics/sociology, used neutrally to describe group-specific language: "Thieves' cant was a secret language."

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “cant”

Strong

hypocrisy sanctimony pietism insincerityphoniness

Neutral

jargon lingo argot vernacular parlance

Weak

buzzwordsclichésplatitudesrhetoric

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “cant”

sincerity candorplain speakingauthenticity honesty

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “cant”

Using it as a verb (the verb form is archaic).
Confusing it with 'can't' (contraction of cannot).
Misspelling as 'cant'' (apostrophe error).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No, they are false friends. 'Cant' (hypocritical talk/jargon) and 'can't' (contraction of 'cannot') are completely different words with different origins and pronunciations.
: Historically, yes, meaning 'to talk hypocritically' or 'to use jargon'. However, this verb form is now archaic and rarely used in modern English. The noun form is standard.
: 'Jargon' is neutral technical language of a group. 'Slang' is informal, often playful language. 'Cant' can mean jargon/slang (especially of criminals), but primarily carries a strong negative meaning of insincere, morally-loaded language.
: It is not an everyday conversational word. It is a mid-frequency word found primarily in formal writing, analysis, and criticism where the precise critique of language is needed.
: Hypocritical and sanctimonious talk, especially about religion or morality.
: Cant is usually formal, literary, critical. often used in political commentary, sociological analysis, and literary criticism. in register.
: Cant: in British English it is pronounced /kant/, and in American English it is pronounced /kænt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“None specific to 'cant' as a noun.”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Imagine a CAN'T (cannot) speaker: someone who CAN'T be sincere or speak plainly. The word 'cant' is what they CAN'T avoid using.

Conceptual Metaphor

LANGUAGE IS A MASK (hiding true intentions); JARGON IS A WALL (creating exclusivity).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

The activist dismissed the minister's environmental speech as empty , pointing to his government's poor record.

Multiple Choice

In which context is the word 'cant' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?