Yes. It does sound a little bit old-fashioned, so in most situations you can use "can't" instead. "Can't" is supposed to mean that you are not able to do something, but people use it like "mustn't" in addition to its other meanings. Answer from kjohn3 on hinative.com
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Quora
quora.com › Why-is-the-contraction-for-must-not-the-word-mustnt-instead-of-mustnt-When-were-contractions-like-this-created
Why is the contraction for 'must not' the word 'mustn't' instead of 'must'nt'? When were contractions like this created? - Quora
Answer (1 of 7): “Why is the contraction for "must not" the word "mustn't" instead of "must'nt"? When were contractions like this created?” Well, the omitted letter is an “o”, which lies between the “n” and the second “t”. So that’s where the apostrophe goes.
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Cambridge Dictionary
dictionary.cambridge.org › us › grammar › british-grammar › contractions
Contractions - English Grammar Today - Cambridge Dictionary
The following are the most common contractions. ... She is not is contracted to she isn’t or she’s not. I am not is only contracted to I’m not. Not: I’m n’t or I am n’t. They are not is contracted to they aren’t or they’re not. The isn’t / aren’t contractions are more common after nouns.
People also ask

What is the difference between an abbreviation and a contraction?
Abbreviations and contractions are both used to shorten a word, but in different ways. · An abbreviation is formed using the initial letters (or sometimes other parts) of a longer word or phrase to represent the whole. Common examples include “Mr.” for “Mister,” “Dr.” for “Doctor,” and “NASA” for “National Aeronautics and Space Administration.” They are used in formal writing as well as everyday conversations. · A contraction, on the other hand, is formed by combining two words and omitting one or more letters. The deleted letters are replaced with an apostrophe (e.g., “cannot” becomes “can’t”
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scribbr.com
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
What is the difference between a contraction and a portmanteau?
Contractions and portmanteaus are similar in that they are both formed by combining two words and omitting some letters. However, there is a difference between them: · Contractions usually combine two words that are often used together (e.g., “do not” becomes “don’t”). A contraction has the same meaning as its uncontracted form. · A portmanteau is formed by blending two words together to create a new word with a different meaning. For example, “brunch” is a combination of “breakfast” and “lunch.” This is also called a neologism.
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scribbr.com
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
What are contractions (words)?
Contractions are short words that are made by combining two words. This is often done by deleting certain letters and replacing them with an apostrophe (e.g., “do not” becomes “don’t”). · Although contractions are common in everyday speech, they should generally be avoided in formal or academic writing. However, there are exceptions (e.g., when writing dialogue in a story or directly quoting an author who uses contractions in your paper). · A good rule of thumb is to consider your audience and the intended effect of your writing when deciding whether to use contractions.
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scribbr.com
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
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Scribbr
scribbr.com › home › contractions (grammar) | definition & examples
Contractions (Grammar) | Definition & Examples
May 2, 2025 - Sometimes, a contraction can be a single word (e.g., “kinda”), but in most cases contractions are formed using words that often go together (e.g., “do not” becomes “don’t”). Only specific words can be contracted, like personal pronouns (e.g., “I,” “you,” “they”), auxiliary verbs (e.g., “be,” “do,” “have”), and modal verbs (e.g., “can,” “must,” “will”)
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Dictionary.com
dictionary.com › browse › mustn't
Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words
Mustn't definition: contraction of must not.. See examples of MUSTN'T used in a sentence.
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Grammar Book
grammarbook.com › home › apostrophes › contractions in english
Contractions in English - The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
April 17, 2023 - It is formed by omitting the letter o, replacing it with an apostrophe, and joining the contracted not to the auxiliary: do not > don’t, should not > shouldn’t, have not > haven’t, must not > mustn’t.
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Grammarly
grammarly.com › blog › grammar › contractions
What Are Contractions in Writing? Definition and Examples | Grammarly
August 10, 2022 - Contractions are a kind of abbreviation that combines two or more words by removing certain letters and usually adding an apostrophe. Only certain words can be contracted: typically small and common words (not, is/are), especially pronouns (I, he/she/it, they), and modal verbs (can, will, might, must, should, would, could).
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Stack Exchange
english.stackexchange.com › questions › 304178 › what-does-mustntve-mean
contractions - What does "Mustn't've" mean? - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
This word is pretty confusing to me. Please explain. Does it mean must not have? ... Yes, this is a double contraction - the must is contracted with both not (giving us mustn't) and have (giving us must've).
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QuillBot
quillbot.com › home › is cannot a contraction?
Is cannot a contraction?
March 7, 2025 - Cannot is not a contraction. It is the full negative form of the modal verb “can” (e.g., “I cannot attend the meeting today”). It’s important to note that
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WordReference
forum.wordreference.com › english only › english only
Contraction of must not | WordReference Forums
February 5, 2011 - The OED offers some comfort: With negative particle affixed 17– musn't, 17– mustn't Brit. /ˈmʌsnt/ , U.S. /ˈməsnt/ , 18– musent , 19– mussent , 19– mustnt; Sc. 19– musnae.
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Collins Dictionary
collinsdictionary.com › us › dictionary › english › mustnt
MUSTN'T definition in American English | Collins English Dictionary
Definitions Summary Synonyms Sentences Pronunciation Collocations Conjugations Grammar · Credits × · (mʌsənt ) Mustn't is the usual spoken form of `must not.' You may also like · English Quiz · Confusables · Language Lover's · Blog ...
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EC English
ecenglish.com › learnenglish › lessons › contractions
Contractions | Learn English
Must not → Mustn't → "I musn't make a noise." Need not → Needn't → "You needn't come." Should not → Shouldn't → "We shouldn't eat sweets." Was not → Wasn't → "It wasn't bad." Were not → Weren't → "They weren't helpful." Will not → Won't → "We won't regret it."
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Stack Exchange
english.stackexchange.com › questions › 497196 › what-is-the-proper-contraction-for-should-not-have
pronunciation - What is the proper contraction for “should not have” - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange
I’ve been struggling with this one for a while, and it’s something I’ve tried typing/ writing on numerous occasions but it never looks correct in my mind. When speaking, I tend to say “should not h...
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Encyclopedia Britannica
britannica.com › dictionary › mustn't
Mustn't Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary
— used as a contraction of must not · We mustn't forget the lessons that history has taught us. You mustn't say such things. [+] more examples [-] hide examples [+] Example sentences [-] Hide examples · ASK THE EDITOR · QUIZZES · Vocabulary Quiz · Test your word power ·
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Google
developers.google.com › style › contractions
Contractions | Google developer documentation style guide | Google for Developers
In particular, we recommend using negation contractions such as isn't, don't, and can't. It's easy for a reader to miss the word not when they're scanning, whereas it's harder to misread don't as do.
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University of Hull Library
libguides.hull.ac.uk › writing › contractions
Contractions - Writing academically - Library at University of Hull
This page gives examples of common contractions and what to use instead. * It is a common misconception that the non-abbreviated form of could've and should've is 'could of' and 'should of'. Please note this is not the case and the full form uses the word 'have'.