would

¹ American  

[wood, wuhd] / wʊd, wəd /

auxiliary verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of will.

2. (used to express the future in past sentences).

   He said he would go tomorrow.

3. (used in place of will, to make a statement or form a question less direct or blunt).

   That would scarcely be fair. Would you be so kind?

4. (used to express repeated or habitual action in the past).

   We would visit Grandma every morning up at the farm.

5. (used to express an intention or inclination).

   Nutritionists would have us all eat whole grains.

6. (used to express an uncertainty).

   It would appear that he is guilty.

7. (used in conditional sentences to express choice or possibility).

   They would come if they had the fare. If the temperature were higher, the water would evaporate.

8. would have, (used with a past participle to express unfulfilled intention or preference).

   I would have saved you some but Jimmy took it all.

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verb (used with object)

1. (used to express a wish).

   Would he were here!

idioms

1. would like, (used to express desire).

   I would like to go next year.

2. would rather. rather.

would ² American  

[wohld] / woʊld /

noun

1. weld.

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would British  

/ wʊd, wəd /

verb

1. used as an auxiliary to form the past tense or subjunctive mood of will 1

2. used as an auxiliary to indicate willingness or desire in a polite manner

   would you help me, please?

3. used as an auxiliary to describe a past action as being accustomed or habitual

   every day we would go for walks

4. I wish

   would that he were here

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would More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing would

• as luck would have it
• fly on the wall, would like to be a
• wouldn't

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Commonly Confused

See should.

Etymology

Origin of would

First recorded before 900; Middle English would, wald(e), wold(e), wuld(e), Old English wolde, walde; see origin at will ¹

Example Sentences

At a ceremony celebrating the first planes' delivery, PIF chief and Riyadh Air chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan described "a historic moment for the nation" and said the company would create "200,000 direct and indirect jobs".

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

The French drugmaker said Wednesday that it would consider whether to continue other studies for the drug, riliprubart, currently under way.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

“Absent the NIL Restrictions on Direct Pay NIL Compensation, Ili would have received more for his NIL rights than he now receives,” the complaint states.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

Last month, the government announced a new £30m High Street organised crime unit which it said would deliver new police and Trading Standards officers, tax raids and a crackdown on illegal working.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Studying the brain scans of these Phineas-like patients, the Damasios wonder what a brain scan of Phineas Gage himself would have shown.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman