“Ought” vs. “Aught”: What’s the Difference?
Jun 8, 2023
Engram
The difference between “ought” and “aught”
- While "ought" refers to an obligation or duty, "aught" refers to the absence of anything or everything.
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What is the definition of “ought” and “aught”?
Ought
- Ought is an auxiliary verb that is used to indicate obligation or duty.
- It is commonly used to express a moral duty, often in the form of a suggestion or recommendation.
- It is interchangeable with the words "should" and "must."
Aught
- Aught is a pronoun that means "anything" or "everything."
- It is often used in a negative context to indicate that there is nothing or no one present.
- It can also be used to refer to the numeral "0" or "zero."
Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?
“Ought” is the more popular variant on the web.
More popular
Ought
198,000,000 results on the web
Examples
- You ought to study harder if you want to pass your exams.
- They ought to apologize for what they said to you.
- We ought to leave early if we want to avoid the traffic.
Aught
4,000,000 results on the web
Examples
- I don't know aught about gardening.
- There wasn't aught left in the fridge to eat.
- He doesn't give aught about your opinion.
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