Synonyms for

Cant

Verb / kænt / Another word for cant — explore alternatives below. For syllable breakdowns and pronunciation, see this word on Syllablesworld.

Definition

Unable to do something; insincere or hypocritical talk.

Synonyms & similar words

piousplatitude lingo camber vernacular chamfer argot bevel cantover tilt slant bank patois jargon slang buzzword pitch hypocrisy insincerity pretense deceit dishonesty lying falseness untruthfulness inability incapability failure incompetence inadequacy weakness impotence powerlessness infirmity feebleness disablement handicap

Synonyms by register

Formal

hypocrisy pretense dissimulation duplicity

Informal

phoniness fakeness two-facedness bullshit

Literary

feigning guile artifice

Antonyms

honesty truth sincerity candor frankness plainness directness

Common collocations

  • cant and hypocrisy
  • religious cant
  • political cant
  • moral cant
  • empty cant
  • mere cant
  • dismissed as cant

Word family

noun cant
verb cant
adjective canted

Usage note

Cant refers to insincere or hypocritical talk, especially about morality or religion. It often implies a gap between stated beliefs and actual behavior.

Example sentences

  1. She was unable to attend the party due to her cant.
  2. He always talks with cant, never meaning what he says.
  3. I can't believe how good this pizza is!
  4. Her apology sounded like cant to me.
  5. He uses cant to cover up his true feelings.

Quotes

  • 'Cant is the voluntary overcharging or prolongation of a real sentiment.' - Samuel Johnson
  • 'The world is full of cant, and a man must be allowed to dislike a thing without being accused of a motive he never dreamed of.' - George Eliot
  • 'Cant and lying are sisters.' - Benjamin Franklin

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