how can/could

idiom

—used to show that one thinks that someone has done or said something shocking or wrong

"We don't need his help anyway." "How can you say that?!"

How could she just walk away from her children like that?

—used to express doubt that something will happen, is possible, etc.

How could I (ever/possibly) leave this job?

How can I (ever/possibly) thank you?

informal

—used to show disappointment in someone's actions, thoughts, words, etc.

He threw away my gift? Oh, how could he?

Examples of how can/could in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

But why is that — like, how can that possibly be — when more than 10,000 years have passed between the TV series and movies? —

Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 20 Nov. 2024 If your own system doesn’t know why your data isn’t accurate, how can a business owner be expected to succeed? —

Anna Covert, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024 Perceiving the loneliness that colors the story and being aware of Mishima’s awful demise four years later, how can the reader fail to be moved by a poignancy that transcends the text! —

Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024 How do these beliefs influence our cultural and business landscape, and how can their synergy inspire a more resilient and prosperous society? —

Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for how can/could

Cite this Entry

Style

“How can/could.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/how%20can%2Fcould. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation