can't seem to

Apparently unable to or incapable of doing something. I've been over these figures three times, but I just can't seem to get them to add up. He couldn't seem to figure out how to work the machine.

can't seem to

Be apparently unable to, as in No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to concentrate on this book. This phrase gives added emphasis to a negative statement, as in the example. [Late 1800s]

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Jimeno	hee-ME-no	Spanish (Rare)
Ashken	['æʃkən]
Valeria	vah-LE-ryah (Italian), bah-LE-ryah (Spanish)	Italian, Spanish, Romanian, German, Ancient Roman
Elpidius	-	Late Greek (Latinized)
Gibbons	['gibənz]
Donna	DAHN-ə	English