cant 1 of 4

noun (1)

Definition of cantnext
as in inclination
the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon a steep cant of the riverbank at that turn in the river

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cant

2 of 4

noun (2)

1
as in deception
the pretending of having virtues, principles, or beliefs that one in fact does not have many accused the evangelist of cant, since his lavish lifestyle seemed to bear little resemblance to what he was preaching

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2
as in terminology
the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field the colorful cant used by movie producers and publicity agents in Hollywood

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cant

3 of 4

adjective

as in leaning
running in a slanting direction the cant buttresses on the interior walls are made of solid oak

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cant

4 of 4

verb

as in to tilt
to set or cause to be at an angle carefully canted the ladder against the wall

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cant
Noun
The fairway cants to the right. — ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026 The front end has a shark nose design and the top edge of the hood cants foward. — Joel Feder, The Drive, 21 May 2026
Verb
The cabin of a Lusso is a special place, notable for its dash, which prominently positions the huge speedometer and tach centrally and canted toward the driver. — Robert Ross, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2026 Verdier’s most notable innovation is the use of a canting keel as the support for one of the foils, with the other two contact points being a foil on the rudder and, alternately, the two lateral foils. — Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 7 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for cant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cant
  1. inclination
  2. deception
  3. terminology
  4. oblique
  5. tilt
  6. slope
  7. deceit
  8. vocabulary
Noun
  • Spiritual progress requires fighting against the natural downward inclination of our souls—though fighting, oddly, is also the problem.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • Getty Choosing a college major has always been a big life decision, influenced by not only personal inclinations and talents, but also by starting salaries.
    — Courtney Connley-Hampton, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of inclination
Noun
  • Guo was convicted of nine of 12 criminal charges during a seven-week trial that prosecutors said showcased his deception of thousands of investors in bogus deals that enabled Guo’s lavish lifestyle.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
  • By the time the deception was uncovered, the employee had authorized $25 million in transfers.
    — Kevin Pierce, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of deception
Noun
  • The goal is to develop proficiency in cybersecurity terminology and the technical skills essential for identifying common cyberattack methods.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Using basic academic terminology would place grants at risk of rejection or termination on political grounds.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026
Definition of terminology
Adjective
  • Infielder Nick Sogard, who had been called up in Story’s place, hit the IL with a right oblique strain June 3, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa went to the IL with a forearm bone stress reaction similar to Mayer’s on June 20.
    — Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • Mayfield, who turned 31 in April, appeared on the Bucs’ injury report 10 out of 18 weeks with issues that spanned his foot, toe, knee, right biceps, oblique and right shoulder.
    — Rick Stroud, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2026
Definition of oblique
Verb
  • Watching for artist-specific fan verification, using official face-value exchanges when available and steering clear of inflated resale listings remain the best defenses against a system still tilted toward bots.
    — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 6 July 2026
  • The blood orange and yuzu sound lovely in theory, but the vanilla tilts it into dessert territory — way too sweet and rich.
    — Angela Hansberger, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
Definition of tilt
Noun
  • Several hours later, rescuers carried the injured on stretchers and recovered the dead in makeshift carts, painstakingly hauling them back up the rugged slope, official Noor Zaman said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • This hard-working plant tolerates heat, drought, salt, and humidity, and provides good soil stabilization on slopes.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
Definition of slope
Noun
  • The original trial was found to be invalid due to fraud and deceit.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 24 June 2026
  • And with that comes deceit and manipulation.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
Definition of deceit
Noun
  • Understanding The Exposure Gap Many young marketers arrive with ambition, vocabulary and a solid grasp of brand theory.
    — Michael Wright, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Meanwhile, the very vocabulary of humanitarianism and antiracism has become so selectively applied or debased as to be meaningless.
    — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of vocabulary

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Cite this Entry

“Cant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cant. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cant

Nglish: Translation of cant for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cant

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