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should have is not in our dictionary (yet). Here's what it could mean:

Confidence: high

Results generated using artificial intelligence.

verb

  • Used to express that an action was advisable in the past but did not happen, often conveying regret or criticism.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"It had been a long summit push. What should have been five days to the summit and back took us 11 days, that's how challenging the conditions were," said Thrall.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

Maybe Noel and Liam should have tried that.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

Thesaurus

Possible Synonyms

Words in our thesaurus

other words

  • hindsight is 20/20
  • missed opportunity
  • needed to have
  • ought to have
  • was supposed to

Possible Antonyms

  • good call
  • nailed it
  • no regrets
  • had no obligation to
  • glad I didn't

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