Noun を禁じ得ない: meaning and how to use it (JLPT N1 grammar)

At a glance

Noun を禁きんじ得えない means "cannot help feeling [emotion]". It is a formal, mostly written way to say an emotion comes up and cannot be held back.

[Emotion noun] を 禁じ得ない

被害者ひがいしゃの家族かぞくには同情どうじょうを禁きんじ得えない。 I can't help feeling sympathy for the victims' families.

It attaches to a noun, usually an emotion noun. The cause of the feeling is usually marked with に or には.

Attaches to	Example	Meaning
Emotion noun + を	驚おどろきを禁きんじ得えない	cannot help feeling surprise
Cause + に(は) + noun + を	彼かれの発言はつげんには怒いかりを禁きんじ得えない	cannot help feeling anger at his remark

Form	Plain (written)	Polite
Present	禁きんじ得えない	禁きんじ得えません
Past	禁きんじ得えなかった	禁きんじ得えませんでした

Register: formal. The plain form is used in writing such as news articles and essays. The polite form is used in formal speeches.