ought
/ɔːt/
Should, expected
📚 Meanings
- 1.
Used to express obligation or advisability; what is morally right or recommended.
"You ought to apologize for your mistake."
- 2.
Used to express probability or expectation; what is likely to happen or be true.
"The train ought to be here any minute."
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💬 Examples
You ought to call your parents more often.
You should call your parents more often.
We ought to try that new restaurant everyone's talking about.
We should try that new restaurant everyone's talking about.
With this much preparation, the presentation ought to go smoothly.
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ought - translations in 14 languages
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Frequently asked about ought
How do you pronounce ought?
ought is pronounced [/ɔːt/]. You can hear a native pronunciation on Smoveth.
What does ought mean?
ought means "Should, expected". See the meanings and examples higher up on the page for the full picture.
How difficult is ought?
ought is a Intermediate-level word.
Can you give an example sentence with ought?
Example: "You ought to call your parents more often." — used to mean "Should, expected".
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