can-do — Willing to tackle any problem and confident of success; having a positive, proactive attitude
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: Willing to tackle any problem and confident of success; having a positive, proactive attitude
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈkæn.duː/
Example Sentences
- Even when the printer exploded, Jina kept her can-do attitude and fixed it with tape and hope.
- Companies love hiring people with a can-do spirit, even if that spirit is mostly caffeine.
- The rescue team's can-do mentality helped them save the stranded hikers before nightfall.
can-do
ADJECTIVE[/ˈkæn.duː/]
Willing to tackle any problem and confident of success; having a positive, proactive attitude
Her can-do attitude turned the failing bake sale into a neighborhood hit.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
A compound formed in American English combining the modal verb 'can' (ability) and the verb 'do' (action), literally meaning 'able to do it' — used since the 19th century to describe a confident, capable attitude.
Breakdown
can (ability, modal verb) + do (action, verb) → compounded into an adjective
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Even when the printer exploded, Jina kept her can-do attitude and fixed it with tape and hope.”
“Companies love hiring people with a can-do spirit, even if that spirit is mostly caffeine.”
“The rescue team's can-do mentality helped them save the stranded hikers before nightfall.”
“My grandmother, at 80, still has a can-do attitude that puts my gym motivation to shame.”
📚Related Words
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