shouldn't
Americancontraction
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.
He said those chilling words shouldn’t be taken literally, according to a recording shared with the Journal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
LAHSA’s Madigan said a physical altercation, such as the one Ponce described, shouldn’t automatically result in removal, because it might not present an imminent risk to the safety of residents or staff.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026
"I have lived a great life over the past 10 years when I shouldn't have, and I've been so lucky, and I am extremely grateful for the experiences," he says.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Beta simply grants Coltrane the autonomy to define her own experience, which shouldn’t be radical, and yet it is.
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026
And searching for postcards shouldn’t take long, even if it’s a massive pile of unopened mail.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
