couldn't/can't say
idiom
—used to say that someone does not know the answer to something
"When will you be done?" "I couldn't/can't say."
Examples of couldn't/can't say in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Four other teens, ages 15 to 18, were also inside the vehicle and a firearm was recovered, although Norman couldn't say definitively last week if it was fired.
—
Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 25 June 2024
Bernthal and Angle married in 2010 and have three children together
Most couples can't say Willie Nelson impacted their relationship — but Jon Bernthal and Erin Angle can.
—Kara Nesvig, Peoplemag, 23 June 2024
Dan Stevens couldn't say no to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
That's why Taylor couldn't say no when presented with the opportunity to tell Emma's (and Dexter's) story on the small screen.
—Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 8 Feb. 2024
In Birmingham, Alabama, Tuesday morning, a tree fell on a car during a storm, trapping and killing the person inside, though authorities couldn't say what caused the tree to come down.
—CBS News, 10 Jan. 2024
Leo Madden, a former executive at Maine Recycling in Lisbon Falls, said Card had worked at the facility but couldn't say whether he'd been recently fired or had left on his own.
—Phil Helsel, NBC News, 28 Oct. 2023
Due to the dynamic situation and lack of visibility inside Gaza, the administration still can't say how many Americans may be detained.
—Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2023
The group couldn't say for sure when to get that shot, as it hasn't been approved.
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, and flu usually spread between Halloween and the end of spring.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 9 Aug. 2023
Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 25 June 2024
Bernthal and Angle married in 2010 and have three children together
Most couples can't say Willie Nelson impacted their relationship — but Jon Bernthal and Erin Angle can.
—Kara Nesvig, Peoplemag, 23 June 2024
Dan Stevens couldn't say no to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
—Simon Thompson, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
That's why Taylor couldn't say no when presented with the opportunity to tell Emma's (and Dexter's) story on the small screen.
—Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 8 Feb. 2024
In Birmingham, Alabama, Tuesday morning, a tree fell on a car during a storm, trapping and killing the person inside, though authorities couldn't say what caused the tree to come down.
—CBS News, 10 Jan. 2024
Leo Madden, a former executive at Maine Recycling in Lisbon Falls, said Card had worked at the facility but couldn't say whether he'd been recently fired or had left on his own.
—Phil Helsel, NBC News, 28 Oct. 2023
Due to the dynamic situation and lack of visibility inside Gaza, the administration still can't say how many Americans may be detained.
—Shannon K. Crawford, ABC News, 10 Oct. 2023
The group couldn't say for sure when to get that shot, as it hasn't been approved.
RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, and flu usually spread between Halloween and the end of spring.
—Erika Edwards, NBC News, 9 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'couldn't/can't say.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near couldn't/can't say
Cite this Entry
“Couldn't/can't say.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/couldn%27t%2Fcan%27t%20say. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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