1
as in to stop
slang
to bring (as an action or operation) to an immediate end
can the chatter, or I'm kicking you out of this library
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to remove
to let go from office, service, or employment
the cashier was summarily canned for stealing from the registers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in jail
a place of confinement for persons held in lawful custody
the racketeers were rounded up and thrown in the can
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in restroom
a room furnished with a fixture for flushing body waste
I excused myself and asked if I could use the can
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in seat
the part of the body upon which someone sits
he fell on the ice and landed on his can
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of can
Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
Regular trash pick-up in their alley is suspended as cans remain trapped by snow and ice.
—Tara Lynch, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Diet Coke Cherry will be available in 12-pack, 12-ounce cans and 20-ounce bottles.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
Every month, more than 1 million cans are produced in the company's industrial brick buildings in this city near Pakistan's capital Islamabad, and are prepared for distribution around the country.
—Betsy Joles, NPR, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for can
Noun
This retro classic had its heyday in the ’50s and ’60s as an economical casserole, often built around leftover chicken and a can of mushroom soup.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
Regular trash pick-up in their alley is suspended as cans remain trapped by snow and ice.
—Tara Lynch, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
Diet Coke Cherry will be available in 12-pack, 12-ounce cans and 20-ounce bottles.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
Every month, more than 1 million cans are produced in the company's industrial brick buildings in this city near Pakistan's capital Islamabad, and are prepared for distribution around the country.
—Betsy Joles, NPR, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for can
Recent Examples of Synonyms for can
Verb
-
From open models to real-world applications, China has shown that constraints have not stopped it from gaining ground.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
From there, James made second-team All-NBA the next season and didn’t stop landing on one of the three teams until this season.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Petrecca was thrust into the commentary role, replacing Auro Bulbarelli, who removed himself after spoiling the surprise arrival of Mattarella aboard one of the city’s trams.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
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According to him, real-world deployment is a key step to removing the practical and technological bottlenecks that humanoids face today.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Monster bamboo, bougainvillea, and banana plants crashed in from the roadside; a tin roof sagged under the weight of a gaggle of marabou storks; baboons plundered trash cans at a highway intersection.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Add ice, seal tins and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Key Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa was arrested by heavily armed men on Sunday night, his supporters said, just hours after he had been released from a jail where he was held as a political prisoner.—
Diego Mendoza,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
His co-defendants received jail terms between 6¼ years and 10 years.—
Kanis Leung,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In addition to restricting access to restrooms, locker rooms and showers in government buildings, the bill would also ban unisex multi-occupancy private spaces in buildings owned by the state of Kansas, local governments, and school districts, as well as public colleges and universities.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The new station would include a lounge, restrooms, and a high-end convenience market.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Before sunrise, dozens of people were in line outside the court building to secure a seat in the courtroom.—
Kanis Leung,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
One of the city’s star attractions is the huge 25,000-seat Great Theater, used for theatrical performances, public assemblies, religious ceremonies and, in the Roman era, gladiatorial battles.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
University of Arkansas men's basketball Coach John Calipari has ceased box-out drills.—
Matt Byrne,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
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Based on the timeline laid out by the district attorney’s office, all attempts to find Proctor ceased after Gascón was defeated by current Los Angeles County Dist.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After days of deliberations, the House justice committee voted to dismiss the impeachment complaints filed by left-wing activists and a lawyer against Marcos.—
JIM GOMEZ THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Saab denied the allegations and appealed to have the charges dismissed on grounds of diplomatic immunity.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Can.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/can. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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