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.
“They are clearly sensitive to affordability issues and the notion they shouldn’t tariff particular products.”
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
Given the increased performance, power deployment and higher grip levels of the latest F1 cars, shouldn't some of the circuits be improved to reflect this increased performance and to ensure the safety of drivers?
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
But workers shouldn’t lose sight of the benefits of hybrid work arrangements, said Stanford University economist Nick Bloom, who has studied the rise of working from home.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
Macron, the president, said on Sunday that French people shouldn’t have to become accustomed to such scenes.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
To me, finishing eighth grade with the second-highest GPA felt like a failure, even though lots of people told me it shouldn’t.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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.
