ought

auxiliary verb \ ˈȯt \

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Definition of ought

—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

Recent Examples of ought from the Web

Stated differently, should the federal government or states’ governments decide whether sports betting ought to be lawful?

— michael mccann, SI.com, "Why New Jersey Won Its Supreme Court Battle to Legalize Sports Betting," 14 May 2018
And while sales are one way to gauge the will of the people, the marketplace is fickle. Americans ought to be cautious before making corporations their moral compass or primary vehicle for reform.

— adam winkler, The New Republic, "Why big business is suddenly into liberal politics," 30 Apr. 2018
The kind of diversity that has brought both of them into the spotlight ought to be the norm rather than singled out, to the point that the comparison wouldn’t be considered necessary in the first place.

— karen han, Teen Vogue, "No, Crazy Rich Asians Isn't the "Asian Black Panther"," 27 Apr. 2018
In large part, that’s because anti-abortionist’s argument hinges upon the notion that life is always sacred and ought never be taken.

— jennifer wright, Harper's BAZAAR, "Abortion Is Not Murder," 13 Apr. 2018
In most cases, unless a reliable soil test suggests otherwise, that ought to be a high-nitrogen, lawn-type fertilizer.

— neil sperry, star-telegram, "Shady spots are like the Goldilocks of gardening. Here, four plants that are just right | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 30 Mar. 2018
Instead of brain tissue, the doctors found a 9cm (~3.5 inch) pressurized pocket of air where much of his right frontal lobe ought to be.

— beth mole, Ars Technica, "Doctors shocked by 3.5-inch air bubble where part of man’s brain should be," 13 Mar. 2018
Both Redente and Matviak maintain that Sidney’s struggles ought to concern people across the country in areas that can no longer be protected from climate change.

— christopher flavelle, Bloomberg.com, "America’s Last-Ditch Climate Strategy of Retreat Isn’t Going So Well," 2 May 2018
Broadway has come to rely on subsidized testing grounds, but nonprofit theaters ought to be raising the bar.

— charles mcnulty, latimes.com, "Tony Award nominations reflect an anemic year for original ideas. Here's a critic's take on the bright spots," 1 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ought.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ought

Middle English oughte (1st & 3rd singular present indicative), from oughte, 1st & 3rd singular past indicative & subjunctive of owen to own, owe — more at owe

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 12th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

ought

verb \ ˈȯ(ḵ)t \

Definition of ought

transitive verb

1 chiefly Scotland : possess

2 chiefly Scotland : owe

See ought defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of ought from the Web

Coca-Cola once owned Columbia Pictures, presumably on the assumption that marketing sugar water ought not be that different from marketing movies.

— aaron pressman, Fortune, "Data Sheet—The Thinking Behind Broadcom's CA Technologies Acquisition," 12 July 2018
Instead, Jenkins said, Boise and the neighborhoods ought to encourage development that's attractive to lower-income families, such as a small branch library, possibly surrounded by commercial and residential components.

— sven berg, idahostatesman, "A 60-year-old fuel terminal could leave Boise’s Bench. Here’s what could replace it.," 11 July 2018
Steve Nutting, a Harley rider from the U.K., said the U.S. ought to slap a steep tariff on BMW cars made in Germany, sending a strong message to the EU about which country has the most clout.

— rick barrett, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "European Union residents, many Harley fans, opine about Trump and tariffs," 5 July 2018
Counsel for the government ought be prepared to address, inter alia, (on Monday or such further time as requested by the government) the lack of basis for the foregoing issues.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Text: Federal judge’s ruling temporarily extends housing program for Hurricane Maria referees," 1 July 2018
Republicans in Texas added a decriminalization plank to their platform this year, saying the penalty for small amounts ought to be more akin to a traffic violation than a bank robbery: more tickets, fewer incarcerations.

— ross ramsey, star-telegram, "Texans’ views now more like the rest of the country," 29 June 2018
And secondly, if there is some doubt, then the government ought to agree to allow a wide array of documentation than the Home Office currently allows.

— kaila philo, The New Republic, "The Caribbean Immigrants Who Transformed Britain," 22 June 2018
The expert panel said ZMapp and Remdesivir ought to be the first and second choices, based on the available evidence.

— helen branswell, STAT, "Ebola outbreak opens way to chaotic jockeying to test experimental drugs," 30 May 2018
University officials say this ought to be good for the economy.

— The Economist, "Britain’s apprenticeship levy is causing a boom in MBAs," 24 May 2018