Meaning & use
Could've
Last updated
An informal written contraction of 'could have,' used to describe a possibility that did not actually happen.
See it in a sentence
I could've gone to the party, but I decided to stay home and rest.
She could've won the race if she hadn't tripped near the finish line.
A note on using this word
Best reserved for informal writing and speech; in formal writing, spell it out as 'could have.' Avoid the common misspelling 'could of.'
Words with a similar meaning
could have
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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