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ought

1 syllable
verbnoun
Quick answer

As a verb, ought means indicating duty or obligation. As a noun, it means a statement of what ought to be the case as contrasted with what is the case.

Meanings of ought

5 meanings

verb

  1. auxiliaryIndicating duty or obligation.

    “I ought to vote in the coming election.”

  2. auxiliaryIndicating advisability or prudence.

    “You ought to stand back from the edge of the platform.”

  3. auxiliaryIndicating desirability.

    “He ought to read the book; it was very good.”

  4. auxiliaryIndicating likelihood or probability.

    “We ought to arrive by noon if we take the motorway.”

Simple past tense of owe

pronoun

Alternative spelling of aught; anything

adverb

Alternative spelling of aught; at all, to any degree.

noun

  1. A statement of what ought to be the case as contrasted with what is the case.

Alternative spelling of aught; cipher, zero, nought.

Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).

Words that rhyme with ought

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thoughtbroughttaughtfoughtsoughtsnototdistraughtnaughtbotwatwroughtfraughttautaughtoverwrought

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Nearby words

oticotioseOtootterottomanouchOuijaounceouroursourselfourselves