CEFR A1

couldn't

verb

Meaning

Used to say that it was impossible for someone to do something in the past.

Examples

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the price.
He couldn't hear the music over the noise of the traffic.

Synonyms: was unable to, failed to, could not manage

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couldn't (A1)

verb

Pronunciation: /ˈkʊd.ənt/

Definition

Used to say that it was impossible for someone to do something in the past.

Examples

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the price.
He couldn't hear the music over the noise of the traffic.
They couldn't agree on a solution.

How to Use couldn't

couldn't help + -ing (idiom): Was unable to stop oneself from doing something. — "She couldn't help laughing at his joke."
couldn't care less (idiom): To be completely uninterested in something. — "He said he couldn't care less about the results."
couldn't wait (idiom): To be very eager or impatient to do something. — "The children couldn't wait to open their presents."

Synonyms of couldn't

Words with a similar meaning to couldn't:

Antonyms of couldn't

Words with the opposite meaning to couldn't:

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