ought

verb
UK: /ɔːt/
US: /ɔːt/

  1. Used to say what is the correct or expected thing to do.

    1. You ought to apologize for what you said. [ ] [ ]
    2. I really ought to start eating more healthily to improve my well-being, you know. [ ] [ ]

  2. Used to express something that is probable or likely.

    1. It ought to be sunny tomorrow, according to the forecast. [ ] [ ]
    2. The package ought to arrive sometime next week, given the standard delivery timeframe. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

should must need

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "ought" in English means: Used to say what is the correct or expected thing to do., Used to express something that is probable or likely..

The phonetic transcription of "ought" is /ɔːt/ in British English and /ɔːt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "ought": should, must, need.

Example usage of "ought": "You ought to apologize for what you said.". More examples on the page.