can never

USAGE SUMMARY

'can never' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to express something that is impossible or unlikely to happen. For example: "We can never achieve success without working hard."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Means can never be.

The New York Times

I can never remember".

The New York Times - Books

"You can never tell.

The New Yorker

You can never stop.

The New Yorker

Research can never end.

Encyclopedia Britannica

This club can never die".

The New York Times - Sports

You can never escape it.

Independent

"You can never light it.

The New Yorker

You can never assume anything".

The New York Times

"I can never train enough".

The New York Times

"You can never predict that".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Place "can never" before the main verb of the sentence to ensure the adverb correctly modifies the modal's capability.

Common error

Do not use "never can" unless you are intentionally writing poetry or highly stylized prose. In standard academic or news writing, the modal verb "can" should almost always precede the adverb "never" to maintain a natural flow.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "can never" functions as a modal verb negation where the modal "can" (indicating ability or possibility) is qualified by the negative frequency adverb "never". According to Ludwig AI, this construction serves to indicate a permanent state of impossibility or a categorical inability. It typically precedes a bare infinitive verb to modify the entire action's feasibility.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "can never" is an essential and highly frequent construction in English used to denote absolute impossibility or a total lack of capability. Analysis from Ludwig shows that it is favored by high-authority publishers such as The New York Times and The New Yorker for its clarity and strength. Whether used in a scientific context to describe immutable laws or in news reporting to discuss permanent social changes, "can never" provides a robust way to express that something is simply not possible under any circumstances. It is grammatically standard and should generally follow the modal-adverb word order in all professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cannot ever

Increases the emphasis on the negation by combining the modal and the negative particle into a single word followed by the adverb.

will never be able to

Shifts the focus to future capability or potential rather than general impossibility.

is never possible to

Uses an impersonal construction that emphasizes external constraints rather than subject ability.

could never

Often used to express conditional impossibility or a stronger emotional stance against an action.

is incapable of ever

Focuses specifically on the lack of inherent capacity or trait in a subject.

cannot possibly

Adds an intensifying adverb to highlight the absolute lack of any viable scenario.

shall never

Provides a highly formal or even archaic tone of decree and determination.

is unable to ever

A more literal description of a persistent lack of ability.

will at no time

Formal phrasing that specifies the temporal aspect of the impossibility.

must never

Shifts the meaning from impossibility to a strong prohibition or obligation.

FAQs

How to use "can never" in a sentence?

You use "can never" to express that something is impossible. For example, Ludwig provides many instances like "Research "can never end"" or "You "can never know"".

What can I say instead of "can never"?

Depending on your context, you can use alternatives like "cannot ever", "will never be able to" or "is impossible to".

Which is correct, "can never" or "never can"?

In standard English, "can never" is the correct word order for almost all situations. "Never can" is typically reserved for poetic inversion or specific emphasis in literary works.

What is the difference between "can never" and "will never"?

While "can never" refers to an absolute lack of ability or possibility, "will never" focuses more on a prediction about future events or a declaration of intent.