shoulda

S1H4O1U1L1D2A1
/ˈʃʊdə/

A form of should — Used to issue an instruction (traditionally seen as carrying less force of authority than alternatives such as 'shall' or 'must').

UncommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

verbshoulda (past subjunctive)
  1. abbreviationcolloquialcontractionpastsubjunctiveContraction of should + have.

    You shoulda told him the truth.

    1 more example

    Ah shoulda known bettern't' challenge a genius!

    2009, Kiyohiko Azuma, “Genius y'all...”, in Stephen Paul, transl., edited by Yen Press, Azumanga Daioh Omnibus, New York City, →ISBN, page 34

Origin

Written form of a reduction of should have.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with shoulda

buddhaHuda
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

shoulda. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shoulda

MLA

“shoulda.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shoulda. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shoulda,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shoulda.

Source: shoulda on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.