aren't
/ɑːnt
/contraction
1Are not: they aren’t here...
- The battles in the party aren't about ideology but about the only question that matters.
- These seem like irrelevant questions, but they aren't that far off from relevancy.
- After all, how can anyone respond to questions that they aren't aware of having been asked?
1.1Am not (only used in questions): I’m right, aren’t I? why aren’t I being given a pay rise?...
- Well I am selling it, aren't I?
- I'm a decent guy, aren't I?
- I am still here, aren't I?
Usage
The contraction aren’t is used in standard English to mean ‘am not’ in questions, as in I’m right, aren’t I? The more logical form amn’t is now non-standard and restricted to Scottish, Irish, and dialect use. Outside questions, it is incorrect to use aren’t to mean ‘am not’ (for example, I aren’t going is clearly wrong).