Wont or won’t? These words look almost identical, but the apostrophe creates a completely different meaning. Won’t is the contraction of “will not,” while wont is a separate word meaning a usual habit or customary behavior. Because won’t is common in everyday English and wont is much less common, it is easy to use the wrong form.
This guide explains the difference, shows when to use each word, and gives simple examples to help you remember the rule.
Quick Answer: Wont or Won’t?
Won’t means “will not” and is used for future actions, refusal, unwillingness, or something that will not happen or work. Wont means “habit” or “custom” and is mainly used in formal or literary English. If you can replace the word with “will not,” use won’t. If you mean a usual habit, use wont.
Wont vs. Won’t: Comparison Table
| Word | Meaning | Use | Example |
| Won’t | Will not | Negative future action, refusal, or failure to work | She won’t come today. |
| Wont | Habit or custom | Usual or customary behavior | It was his wont to arrive early. |
The easiest rule:
Won’t = will not
Wont = habit or custom
What Does “Won’t” Mean?
Won’t is a contraction of “will not.” It is one of the most common ways to express a negative future action in everyday English.
For example:
I won’t be late.
This means:
I will not be late.
The apostrophe is important because won’t is a contraction. You should not remove it when you mean “will not.”
Won’t for Future Actions
Use won’t when saying that something will not happen in the future.
- The store won’t open until nine.
- We won’t finish the project today.
- She won’t arrive before dinner.
Won’t for Refusal
Won’t can also show that someone refuses or is unwilling to do something.
- He won’t listen to me.
- She won’t change her mind.
- They won’t accept the offer.
English also uses won’t when an object or machine refuses to function as expected.
- My car won’t start.
- The door won’t open.
- My phone won’t charge.
In these sentences, won’t can be understood as something that will not perform the expected action.
What Does “Wont” Mean?
Wont is a completely different word. It is not an alternative spelling of won’t.
As a noun, wont means a habit, custom, or usual way of behaving.
For example:
It was his wont to arrive early.
This means:
It was his usual habit to arrive early.
You may also see the expression:
As was her wont, she arrived early.
Here, wont means her usual or customary behavior.
Because this word is uncommon in everyday conversation, you are more likely to encounter it in formal, literary, or traditional writing.
“Be Wont to”
Wont can also appear in the construction “be wont to + verb.” This means to be accustomed to doing something or to habitually do something.
He was wont to take a walk after dinner.
In modern English, you could express the same idea more naturally as:
He usually took a walk after dinner.
Both convey the idea of a regular habit, but wont gives the sentence a more formal or literary tone.
What Is the Difference Between Wont and Won’t?
The main difference is meaning and grammatical function.
Won’t is a contraction used when you mean “will not.”
Wont is a noun referring to a habit or custom, and it can also be used in the phrase “be wont to.”
Compare:
She won’t come.
= She will not come.
It was her wont to come early.
= It was her habit to come early.
The apostrophe is therefore not a minor punctuation detail. It distinguishes two different words.
When Should You Use Wont or Won’t?
Use won’t when your sentence means:
- will not happen
- will not do something
- refuses to do something
- will not work or function
Use wont when your sentence means:
- habit
- custom
- usual behavior
- something someone is accustomed to doing
A useful test is to replace the word with “will not.”
If the sentence still makes sense, choose won’t.
I won’t attend the meeting.
→ I will not attend the meeting. ✓
If the sentence is describing a habit, wont may be correct.
It was his wont to read before bed.
→ It was his usual habit to read before bed. ✓
Common Mistakes With Wont and Won’t
1. Writing “wont” instead of “won’t”
❌ I wont be there tomorrow.
✅ I won’t be there tomorrow.
When you mean “will not,” the apostrophe is required.
2. Adding an apostrophe to “wont”
❌ It was his won’t to arrive early.
✅ It was his wont to arrive early.
Here, the word means habit, so there is no apostrophe.
3. Confusing “wont” with “want”
These words have different meanings:
- want = desire something
- wont = habit or custom
- won’t = will not
For example:
I want to leave.
I won’t leave.
It was his wont to leave early.
4. Treating “wont” as a casual spelling of “won’t”
Wont is not an informal version of won’t. It is a separate English word with its own meaning.
Examples of Wont and Won’t
- I won’t forget your advice.
Here, won’t means “will not.” - The car won’t start this morning.
Here, won’t describes something that is not functioning. - She won’t change her decision.
Here, won’t expresses refusal or unwillingness. - We won’t know the results until Friday.
Here, won’t refers to a future situation. - He was wont to take a long walk after dinner.
Here, wont means that taking a walk was his usual habit. - As was her wont, she checked the report twice.
Here, wont refers to her customary behavior.
Easy Memory Trick
Remember these two simple connections:
Won’t → Will not
Wont → Habit
If you see an apostrophe, think contraction.
If there is no apostrophe and the sentence is talking about a habit or custom, wont may be correct.
The quickest test is:
Can I replace it with “will not”?
If yes → won’t.
If it means habit or custom → wont.
Mini Quiz: Wont or Won’t?
Choose the correct answer.
1. I ___ be able to attend the meeting.
A. wont
B. won’t
2. He was ___ to read before breakfast.
A. wont
B. won’t
3. The printer ___ work.
A. wont
B. won’t
4. As was her ___, she arrived early.
A. wont
B. won’t
5. They ___ accept the proposal.
A. wont
B. won’t
Answers
1. B — won’t
2. A — wont
3. B — won’t
4. A — wont
5. B — won’t
FAQs
Is “wont” a correct English word?
Yes. Wont is a correct English word meaning a habit, custom, or customary behavior. It can also appear in “be wont to,” meaning to be accustomed to doing something. However, it is much less common in modern everyday English than won’t.
Is “wont” the same as “won’t”?
No. Won’t means “will not,” while wont means a habit or custom. The apostrophe is important because it identifies won’t as a contraction. These words should not be treated as different spellings of the same word.
Is “wont” an incorrect spelling of “won’t”?
If you mean “will not,” then wont is incorrect. The correct contraction is won’t. However, wont itself is not a misspelling because it is a legitimate word with a different meaning.
Why does “won’t” have an apostrophe?
Won’t is a contraction of “will not.” The apostrophe indicates that letters have been omitted in the shortened form. Although its spelling is unusual compared with some other contractions, won’t is the standard form used in modern English.
Which word is more common: “wont” or “won’t”?
Won’t is much more common because it is regularly used in everyday speech and writing to mean “will not.” Wont is comparatively rare and is most often found in formal, literary, or traditional expressions describing someone’s usual behavior.
Key Takeaways
- Won’t = will not.
- Wont = habit, custom, or usual behavior.
- Use the apostrophe in won’t when you mean “will not.”
- Wont is much less common and often sounds formal or literary.
- Be wont to means to be accustomed to doing something.
- Want, wont, and won’t have different meanings.
- The easiest test is to replace won’t with “will not.”
Conclusion
The difference between wont and won’t is small in spelling but significant in meaning. Won’t is the common contraction of “will not,” while wont refers to a habit or customary behavior and is mainly used in formal or literary English. When you mean “will not,” always write won’t with an apostrophe. When you mean a usual habit or custom, use wont without one. Remember: won’t = will not; wont = habit.
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Mignon Fogarty is an experienced English grammar and writing expert specializing in grammar, word usage, and clear American English. At EduNexxt, her focus is making grammar simple, accurate, and practical.
Bryan Garne