Definition of CAN
(auxiliary verb, defective) To know how to; to be able to.
"She can speak English, French, and German. I can play football. Can you remember your fifth birthday?"
(modal auxiliary verb, defective) May; to be permitted or enabled to.
"You can go outside and play when you're finished with your homework. Can I use your pen?"
(modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have the potential to; be possible.
"Animals can experience emotions."
A more or less cylindrical vessel for liquids, usually of steel or aluminium, but sometimes of plastic, and with a carrying handle over the top.
A container used to carry and dispense water for plants (a watering can).
A tin-plate canister, often cylindrical, for preserved foods such as fruit, meat, or fish.
To seal in a can.
"They canned air to sell as a novelty to tourists."
To preserve by heating and sealing in a jar or can.
"They spent August canning fruit and vegetables."
Examples of CAN in a Sentence
- "She can speak English, French, and German. I can play football. Can you remember your fifth birthday?"
- "You can go outside and play when you're finished with your homework. Can I use your pen?"
- "Animals can experience emotions."
- "They canned air to sell as a novelty to tourists."
Word Details
Is CAN a Scrabble Word?
Yes, CAN is a valid word in the following dictionaries:
Tip: Short words like CAN are excellent for parallel plays and tight board positions in Scrabble.
Letter Values for CAN
Point breakdown for each letter in Scrabble and Words With Friends.
| Letter | c | a | n | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrabble | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| WWF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
Words You Can Make With the Letters in CAN
2 words from the letters in CAN
2-letter words
How to Use CAN in Word Games
CAN is worth 5 points in Scrabble and 7 points in Words With Friends, making it a modest-scoring word.
Short word advantage: CAN is only 3 letters, making it ideal for parallel plays where you form multiple words simultaneously by placing tiles adjacent to existing words on the board.
Looking for more words from these letters? Unscramble CAN to find 2 additional valid words.