ought

1 of 4

auxiliary verb

used to express obligation
ought to pay our debts
, advisability
ought to take care of yourself
, natural expectation
ought to be here by now
, or logical consequence
the result ought to be infinity

ought

2 of 4

verb

transitive verb

1
chiefly Scotland : possess
2
chiefly Scotland : owe

ought

3 of 4

noun

: moral obligation : duty

ought

4 of 4

archaic spelling of

Examples of ought in a Sentence

Auxiliary verb you ought to buy him a new book to replace the one you lost
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Auxiliary verb
But forward-thinking boards ought to start looking at where a company is going—ask who’s ready to deal with technological change or a fast-growing diverse population—to find their next chair, rather than assume a former CEO is most qualified. Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2023 Executives and other representatives, like celebrity endorsers, ought to tread carefully, experts say, and so should investors. Ashley Cullins, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2023
Verb
Marketing to younger consumers ought to amplify sustainability and social responsibility, Mr. McMillan said, subjects that wine is well-positioned to highlight. Eric Asimov, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2023 Those who find monetary success in life ought to use their position to serve others, said West. Ryan Anderson, Arkansas Online, 17 Jan. 2023 See all Example Sentences for ought 

Word History

Etymology

Auxiliary verb

Middle English aghten, aughten, oughten "to be obliged to, owe," from construal as an independent verb of aghte, aughte, oughte "possessed, owned, owed," past indicative & subjunctive of aghen, aughen, owen "to possess, own, owe," going back to Old English āhte, 1st & 3rd person singular past indicative of āgan "to possess, own" — more at owe

Verb

early Scots aucht "to own, owe, be incumbent on," past tense used as present of aw "to own, be under an obligation, owe," going back to Old English āgan "to possess, own" — more at owe

Noun

derivative of ought entry 1

First Known Use

Auxiliary Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1678, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ought was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ought

Cite this Entry

“Ought.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ought. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

ought

helping verb
ˈȯt
1
used to express duty
we ought to pay our debts
2
used to express what it would be wise to do
you ought to take care of yourself
3
used to express what is naturally expected
they ought to be here by now
4
used to express what is correct
the result ought to be zero

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