1
as in stopping
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sacking
to let go from office, service, or employment
the cashier was summarily canned for stealing from the registers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of canning
Upper-middle-class urban millennials were canning preserves, pickling vegetables, and posting their creations on websites like Punk Domestics.
—
Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
For a franchise that desperately needs stability, canning the coach one year in wouldn’t help, but there wasn’t much about Glenn’s first season that offered promise for the future.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
The team has been producing and canning beers in the Curtis Park facility for nearly a year.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 30 Dec. 2025
Lauri Markkanen finished with 30 points while Keyonte George added 29 points and 10 assists, canning consecutive 3-pointers to give Utah the lead in the fourth.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Johnson says Pure Shenandoah's current challenge is canning enough drinks to keep up with customers' thirst.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 24 Nov. 2025
Artisans across Brooklyn were making their own bean-to-bar chocolate, canning pickles, opening old-timey butcher shops, and forging knives.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 19 Nov. 2025
Richard’s motor ran high despite the lopsided score, cutting for two layups and also canning a 3-pointer to put up a quick seven points in the period.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
The Darryn Peterson era of Kansas basketball started with the freshman phenom canning a deep 3-pointer from near the beak of the Jayhawk logo inside Allen Fieldhouse.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2025
Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026
For a franchise that desperately needs stability, canning the coach one year in wouldn’t help, but there wasn’t much about Glenn’s first season that offered promise for the future.
—Zak Keefer, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
The team has been producing and canning beers in the Curtis Park facility for nearly a year.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 30 Dec. 2025
Lauri Markkanen finished with 30 points while Keyonte George added 29 points and 10 assists, canning consecutive 3-pointers to give Utah the lead in the fourth.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025
Johnson says Pure Shenandoah's current challenge is canning enough drinks to keep up with customers' thirst.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 24 Nov. 2025
Artisans across Brooklyn were making their own bean-to-bar chocolate, canning pickles, opening old-timey butcher shops, and forging knives.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 19 Nov. 2025
Richard’s motor ran high despite the lopsided score, cutting for two layups and also canning a 3-pointer to put up a quick seven points in the period.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2025
The Darryn Peterson era of Kansas basketball started with the freshman phenom canning a deep 3-pointer from near the beak of the Jayhawk logo inside Allen Fieldhouse.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for canning
Verb
-
In the heavily Latino area of south Oklahoma City, ICE agents have been patrolling in unmarked vehicles and stopping work trucks of roofers, painters and electricians, Brooks Jimenez said.—
Nuria Martinez-Keel,
Oklahoma Voice,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Lily did exactly the right thing by stopping and asking first.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Seattle defense, which nicknamed itself the Dark Side, lived in quarterback Drake Maye’s face, sacking him six times and harassing him into three turnovers.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Seattle swarmed quarterback Drake Maye all game, sacking him six times and forcing three turnovers, leaving New England scoreless through the first three quarters.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For LeBron James, missing the game meant the Lakers’ All-Star became ineligible for NBA postseason awards, ending his streak of making the All-NBA team at 21 seasons.—
Broderick Turner,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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James then missed a 3-point attempt at the other end, ending the back-and-forth bid, and the Thunder closed out the win at the free-throw line.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Similarly, footage showing federal agents killing Alex Pretti revealed the ICU nurse was holding a phone in his right hand, and an officer removing a gun from his back waistband before the shooting.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
-
In an effort to save Cathy, doctors place leeches over her body in hopes of removing the bad blood.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Yet, without ceasing, another generation of Puerto Ricans pick up the mantle to chant in the streets and fight for their country, out of love for their forefathers and foremothers.—
Taylor Crumpton,
Time,
10 Feb. 2026
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The agency requested that the drugmaker take immediate action to address the violations, which could include ceasing all ads containing misleading claims.—
Annika Kim Constantino,
CNBC,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On the supply side, Baby Boomers are aging and retiring, population growth has slowed, and there’s been a sharp reduction in immigration and an increase in deportations.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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These include retiring the legacy B-1 and B-2 bombers only after sufficient B-21 aircraft are operational, and accelerating the procurement of existing fifth-generation fighters such as the F-35 and the F-15EX, as well as autonomous collaborative combat drones.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight restriction immediately halting all flights to and from El Paso International Airport in Texas and an area of southern New Mexico for 10 days.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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However, in October, Chinese regulators, including the People’s Bank of China, advised against the plan, effectively halting all progress, according to a Financial Times report, citing sources familiar with the matter.—
Matthew Chin,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As of Tuesday, Felizor was being held on a $15,000 bond at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a charge of firing a deadly missile.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2026
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On Saturday, one of those protests turned violent when about 100 hooded protesters broke off from a peaceful march and clashed with police, who responded by firing on them with tear gas and a water cannon.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Canning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/canning. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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