cant

noun
UK: /kænt/
US: /kænt/

  1. Insincere talk, especially about morals or religion.

    1. His speech was full of cant, empty of any real meaning.
    2. Politicians often use cant to appeal to voters, but rarely deliver on promises.

  2. The special words or phrases used by a particular group of people.

    1. Thieves use a cant that is hard for others to understand.
    2. Legal cant can be confusing for those not trained in the field of law.

Synonyms

jargon hypocrisy slang
cant verb

  1. To talk about something insincerely, especially about morals or religion.

    1. He canted about helping, but did nothing at all.
    2. The organization canted endlessly about their green initiatives, all for publicity.

  2. To tilt or lean to one side.

    1. The picture canted slightly on the wall.
    2. The ship began to cant precariously as the storm intensified around it.
cant adjective

  1. Hypocritical and sanctimonious, especially in matters of religion or morality.

    1. That's a cant argument, designed to trick.
    2. The cant comments only serve to highlight the speaker's own hypocrisy.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "cant" in English means: Insincere talk, especially about morals or religion., The special words or phrases used by a particular group of people..

The phonetic transcription of "cant" is /kænt/ in British English and /kænt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "cant": jargon, hypocrisy, slang.

Example usage of "cant": "His speech was full of cant, empty of any real meaning.". More examples on the page.