should

American  

[shood] / ʃʊd /

auxiliary verb

1. must; ought (used to indicate duty, propriety, or expediency).

   You should not do that.

   All of this is irresponsible alarmism and should be dismissed as such.

2. (used to express an expectation).

   They should arrive around dinner time.

   The paper you need should be in the drawer.

3. (used to express a correction).

   In your first sentence, that semicolon should be a comma.

4. (used to express a potential future event or condition).

   Were he to arrive, I should be pleased.

5. would (used to make a statement less direct or blunt).

   I should think you would apologize.

6. simple past tense of shall.

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noun

1. a demand or requirement; something a person must or ought to do.

   Placing too many shoulds or unrealistic expectations on yourself can contribute to stress.

   It’s hard to find joy anymore with all these oughts and shoulds.

should British  

/ ʃʊd /

verb

1. the past tense of shall : used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that an action is considered by the speaker to be obligatory ( you should go ) or to form the subjunctive mood with I or we ( I should like to see you; if I should be late, go without me ) See also shall

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should Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing should

• (should) get one's head examined

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Usage

Should has, as its most common meaning in modern English, the sense ought as in I should go to the graduation, but I don't see how I can. However, the older sense of the subjunctive of shall is often used with I or we to indicate a more polite form than would: I should like to go, but I can't. In much speech and writing, should has been replaced by would in contexts of this kind, but it remains in formal English when a conditional subjunctive is used: should he choose to remain, he would be granted asylum

Commonly Confused

Rules similar to those for choosing between shall and will have long been advanced for should and would, but again the rules have had little effect on usage. In most constructions, would is the auxiliary chosen regardless of the person of the subject: If our allies would support the move, we would abandon any claim to sovereignty. You would be surprised at the complexity of the directions. Because the main function of should in modern American English is to express duty, necessity, etc. ( You should get your flu shot before winter comes ), its use for other purposes, as to form a subjunctive, can produce ambiguity, at least initially: I should get my flu shot if I were you. Furthermore, should seems an affectation to many Americans when used in certain constructions quite common in British English: Had I been informed, I should (American would ) have called immediately. I should (American would ) really prefer a different arrangement. As with shall and will, most educated native speakers of American English do not follow the textbook rule in making a choice between should and would. See also shall.

Related Words

See must ¹.

Etymology

Origin of should

Middle English sholde, Old English sc(e)olde; shall

Example Sentences

“You should have seen me, I was hustling and hustling for them,” she recounts about finding her famous client a home to purchase.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

The researchers conclude that public health guidelines in Italy should be updated to include additional tools alongside BMI.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

And check the test page again after you clean up your tech: If you were the only party infected on your IP address, your network should get the all-clear within two weeks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

That should mean no more "endless phone calls" where they try to persuade you to stay a little longer.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

She should have had the oil hot and at least ten pieces of bread made by now.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• allow
• become
• consider
• enjoy
• experience
• feel
• know
• leave
• need
• permit
• see
• suffer
• undergo