—used to express obligation
ought to pay our debts
, advisabilityought to take care of yourself
, natural expectationought to be here by now
, or logical consequencethe result ought to be infinity
Examples of ought in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2023
Executives and other representatives, like celebrity endorsers, ought to tread carefully, experts say, and so should investors.
—Ashley Cullins, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ought 
Auxiliary verb
But forward-thinking boards ought to start looking at where a company is going—ask who’s ready to deal with technological change or a fast-growing diverse population—to find their next chair, rather than assume a former CEO is most qualified.
—Lila MacLellan, Fortune, 3 Feb. 2023
Executives and other representatives, like celebrity endorsers, ought to tread carefully, experts say, and so should investors.
—Ashley Cullins, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for ought
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ought.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Ought.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ought. Accessed 3 May. 2024.
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