Alternative Spelling guide

wouldn't've

contraction · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

This record is a supporting form or spelling variant of would. Use the canonical entry for the main definition and word-family path.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /ˈwʊd(ə)n(t)ə(v)/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

contraction

Meaning 1

Contraction of would + not + have.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, colloquial, contraction

Examples

  • 2006 October, Goff Morgan, "We Wouldn't've Had To Do It" (poem).

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From would + -n't + -'ve.