# wouldn't

CEFR A2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/wouldnt
Updated: 2026-05-03

## Definition

the short way to say 'would not'. You use it to talk about things that did not happen in the past or to say someone refused to do something.

For teachers: the contracted form of 'would not'. Used to express a conditional negative, a refusal in the past, or a habitual past action that did not occur.

## Examples

- I wouldn't go there if I were you.
- She tried to open the heavy wooden door, but it wouldn't budge no matter how hard she pushed.
- Even though the evidence was presented clearly to the board members, they wouldn't accept that the current strategy was failing until the quarterly losses were made public.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I wouldn't to go" but "I wouldn't go" — The modal contraction 'wouldn't' must be followed by the base form of the verb without 'to'.

## Usage notes

- A contraction of the modal verb 'would' and the particle 'not'; functions as an auxiliary verb followed by the bare infinitive.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.