shouldn't

American

[shood-nt] / ˈʃʊd nt /

contraction of should not.

shouldn't British

/ ˈʃʊdənt /

contraction

should not

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

See contraction, ought ¹.

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.

If you do, though, it shouldn’t be because of the calendar.

From MarketWatch

He accepts Rightmove is the "number one portal" but said costs shouldn't be determined by the company.

From BBC

"Its priority, both domestically and in foreign policy, is economic development. There is a broad consensus that China shouldn't recklessly get involved in a war."

From BBC

In some respects, it shouldn’t put much of a dent in consumer spending and the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal

The level of command with which Jackson and Hirsch shape this piece indicates that the audience shouldn’t expect otherwise.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023