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.
Shafer noticed he could wear a T-shirt while pruning trees instead of the usual hooded sweatshirt and knitted hat.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
If anything, it revealed how threatening satire could be — and how quickly it reemerges in new forms when constrained.
From Salon • May 19, 2026
Massie spent several days before the election using Rep. Lauren Boebert—a Republican from Colorado—as a surrogate, hoping she could reinforce his credentials at a campaign rally, despite the president’s repeated attacks on him.
From Slate • May 19, 2026
Elliot: Oliver McBurnie could fire in a million goals for Hull and it wouldn't change the fact that he's never looked remotely near the level required for Scotland.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
Or could be, if a girl tried hard enough to make it so.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
