should hope

verb

To believe (something) is an obligation [with that (+ clause); or (informal) with clause; or with so or (negative) not].

“"He'll be here soon." "I should hope so!"”

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Meanings

verbshould hope (third-person singular simple present should hope, no present participle, no simple past or past participle)
  1. colloquialemphaticno pastno present participleparticiplepastTo believe (something) is an obligation [with that (+ clause); or (informal) with clause; or with so or (negative) not].

    "He'll be here soon." "I should hope so!"

Cite this entry
APA

should hope. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/should%20hope

MLA

“should hope.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/should%20hope. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “should hope,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/should%20hope.

Source: should hope on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.