might

might - English

Alternative forms

  • mite (eye dialect, informal)

Pronunciation

  • enPR: mīt, IPA: /maɪt/
  • Homophone: mite

Noun

might (countable and uncountable, plural mights)

  1. (countable, uncountable) Power, strength, force or influence held by a person or group.
  2. (uncountable) Physical strength or force.
    • He pushed with all his might, but still it would not move.
  3. (uncountable) The ability to do something.

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

might (comparative mighter, superlative mightest)

  1. (obsolete) Mighty; powerful.
  2. (obsolete) Possible.

Verb

might (third-person singular simple present might, no present participle, simple past might, no past participle)

  1. (auxiliary) Used to indicate conditional or possible actions.
    • I might go to the party, but I haven't decided yet.
  2. (auxiliary) simple past tense of may Used to indicate permission in past tense.
    • He asked me if he might go to the party, but I haven't decided yet.
  3. (auxiliary) simple past tense of may Used to indicate possibility in past tense.
    • I thought that I might go the next day.
  4. Used to indicate a desired past action that was not done.
    • Hey man, you might have warned me about the thunderstorm.
  5. (auxiliary) Even though.
    • I might be in a wheelchair, but I still want to be treated as a lady.
  6. (auxiliary) Used in polite requests for permission
    • Might I take the last biscuit?
  7. (auxiliary, UK, meiosis) Used to express certainty.
    • Yeah, I think we might need something a bit sturdier.

Usage notes

For many speakers, the use as the past tense of the auxiliary may, indicating permission, is obsolete: I told him he might not see her will only be interpreted as "I told him he would possibly not see her," and not as "I told him he was not allowed to see her." For the latter case, "could not" or "was/were not allowed to," "was/were forbidden to," etc., will be used instead.

Conjugation

  • archaic second-person singular simple past - mightest
  • nonstandard, archaic third-person singular simple past - mighteth

Alternative forms

  • mought (obsolete outside US dialects)
  • mout (US regional pronunciation spelling)

Derived terms

Translations

Meaning and Definition of might
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