Ought to Meaning and Definition

Pronunciation

/ˈoʊt tə/ 🔊

Part of Speech

Preposition

Definition

Ought to: expressing obligation, necessity, or suitability; indicating something is required or suitable.

Examples

• You ought to wear a helmet when riding a bike.
• This book ought to be on every reader’s list.

Synonyms

• Should
• Must
• Need to

Antonyms

• May not
• Cannot

Etymology

Ought to comes from Old English “ōht” meaning “ought”, which is derived from Proto-Germanic “*ahaiziz”, related to Proto-Indo-European “*h2ey-“.

Usage Notes

Ought to is used to express a sense of obligation, necessity, or suitability. It can be used in a variety of contexts, including advice, recommendations, and instructions.

Cultural References

Ought to has appeared in various forms of media, including literature, film, and music. In the novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Harper Lee uses the phrase “you ought to” to convey a sense of moral obligation.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

• Ought to be
• Ought to do

Related Words or Phrases

• Might
• Can
• Must

Collocations

• Ought to do something
• Ought to be somewhere

Frequency of Use

Ought to is a commonly used phrase in everyday language, particularly in informal conversations and written communication.

Common Misspellings

• ought
• ought’t