should

Verb

Used to indicate obligation, advisability, or an expected event.
Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
Used to issue an instruction (traditionally seen as carrying less force of authority than alternatives such as 'shall' or 'must').
Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
Used to give advice or opinion that an action is, or would have been, beneficial or desirable.
Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
With verbs such as 'see' or 'hear', usually in the second person, used to point out something remarkable in either a good or bad way.
Ought to; indicating opinion, advice, or instruction, about what is required or desirable.
In questions, asks what is correct, proper, desirable, etc.
Ought to; expressing expectation.
Indicates that something is expected to have happened or to be the case now.
Ought to; expressing expectation.
Will be likely to (become or do something); indicates a degree of possibility or probability that the stated thing will happen or be true in the future.
Used to form a variant of the present subjunctive, expressing a state or action that is hypothetical, potential, mandated, etc.
simple past of shall
An alternative to would with first person subjects.
Used to express a conditional outcome.
An alternative to would with first person subjects.
Used to impart a tentative, conjectural or polite nuance.
An alternative to would with first person subjects.
Used to express what the speaker would do in another person's situation, as a means of giving a suggestion or recommendation.
To make a statement of what ought to be true, as opposed to reality.

Noun

Something that ought to be the case as opposed to already being the case.

Examples

I regret that it should have happened, but I was really shocked that he should say that.
I should be very grateful to receive your prompt reply. (formal or old-fashioned)
I should imagine that they have arrived by now.
I should think you would apologize.
I told him that I should be busy tomorrow.
If I had not been so tired, I should have laughed heartily.
If I should be late, I should hope that you are prepared to go on without me.
It didn’t turn out as we intended it should.
It's his proposal that there (should) not be several dozen units.
My fruit trees should be in flower, but the cold spring has set them back.
She should not have been so rude.
Should we go and see the police, do you think?
Should you need extra blankets, you will find them in the closet.
The law is clear that you should always wear a seat belt.
The manual says that this switch should be in the 'off' position.
They should have finished by now; I'll call them to check.
They should have it finished by Friday.
We should very much like to meet her. (formal or old-fashioned)
We’re spending the winter in Ibiza. ~ That should be nice.
What do you think? What should I do?
When you press this button, the pilot flame should ignite.
You SHOULD always check the dictionary before challenging a word.
You should be warm enough with that coat.
You should go and see that film. I think you'll enjoy it.
You should never drink and drive.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English scholde, from Old English sċolde, first and third person preterite form of sċulan (“should,” “have to,” “to owe”), the ancestor of English shall. By surface analysis, shall + -ed. Cognate with German sollte, Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌿𐌻𐌳𐌰 (skulda), Swedish skulle. Related to Middle English shild and shildy.
The loss of /l/ in this word is probably due to weak stress, as in would and could (though in the latter, the letter l was originally silent before becoming a spelling pronunciation).

Synonyms

ought, were

Antonyms

shouldn't

Scrabble Score: 10

should: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
should: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
should: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 11

should: valid Words With Friends Word