Usually means: Expression of duty, advisability, desirability.
Definitions Related words Phrases Mentions
We found 3 dictionaries that define the word ought to:

General (3 matching dictionaries)
  1. ought to: Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
  2. ought to: Wiktionary
  3. ought to: Stammtisch Beau Fleuve Acronyms

Google, News, Images, Wikipedia, Reddit, BlueSky
Definitions from Wiktionary (ought to)

▸ verb:  (auxiliary) Indicating duty or obligation.
▸ verb:  (auxiliary) Indicating advisability or prudence.
▸ verb:  (auxiliary) Indicating desirability.
▸ verb:  (auxiliary) Indicating likelihood or probability.

Similar:
should, have to, be supposed to, need, have got, have got to, expect, want, have, import, more...

Opposite:
shouldn't, mustn't, prohibited, forbidden, not allowed

Types:
be able to, have to, need to, should, more...

Phrases:
no better than ought to be, Neil Simon's I Ought to Be in Pictures, You Ought to Be in Pictures, ought to be, ought not to, more...

▸ Words similar to ought to

▸ Usage examples for ought to

▸ Idioms related to ought to

▸ Wikipedia articles (New!)

▸ Words that often appear near ought to

▸ Rhymes of ought to

▸ Invented words related to ought to

Similar:
should, have to, be supposed to, need, have got, have got to, expect, want, have, import, more...

Opposite:
shouldn't, mustn't, prohibited, forbidden, not allowed

Types:
be able to, have to, need to, should, more...

Phrases:
no better than ought to be, Neil Simon's I Ought to Be in Pictures, You Ought to Be in Pictures, ought to be, ought not to, someone ought to do something, more...



Writing poetry or lyrics? You can find related words that match a given meter.
This feature is permanently available from the "Related words" tab and from the Thesaurus.


(Click a button above to see words related to "ought to" that fit the given meter.)



Home   Reverse Dictionary / Thesaurus   Datamuse   Word games   Spruce   Feedback   Dark mode   Random word   Help


Color thesaurus

Use OneLook to find colors for words and words for colors

See an example

Literary notes

Use OneLook to learn how words are used by great writers

See an example

Word games

Try our innovative vocabulary games

Play Now

Read the latest OneLook newsletter issue: Threepeat Redux