could
Americanauxiliary verb
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a simple past tense of can.
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(used to express possibility).
I wonder who that could be at the door. That couldn't be true.
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(used to express conditional possibility or ability).
You could do it if you tried.
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(used in making polite requests).
Could you open the door for me, please?
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(used in asking for permission).
Could I borrow your pen?
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(used in offering suggestions or advice).
You could write and ask for more information. You could at least have called me.
verb
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used as an auxiliary to make the past tense of can 1
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used as an auxiliary, esp in polite requests or in conditional sentences, to make the subjunctive mood of can 1
could I see you tonight?
she'd telephone if she could
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used as an auxiliary to indicate suggestion of a course of action
you could take the car tomorrow if it's raining
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(often foll by well) used as an auxiliary to indicate a possibility
he could well be a spy
Usage
See care.
Etymology
Origin of could
First recorded in 1450–1500; alteration of late Middle English coude, coud, Old English cūthe; modern -l- from would 1, should
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Notably, the company said that its growth could be even higher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Their results may represent the first evidence of vacuum birefringence and could open new ways to investigate quantum physics under conditions that cannot be reproduced on Earth.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
Under its main agreement, even plaintiffs suspected of fraud could be paid $50,000 to drop their claims.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
The county’s top prosecutor says up to 81% of the claims may be fraudulent, but going go court and losing jury trials could prove more expensive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
I mean, if you’re not here, I could turn your room into a game room.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
