you/one would think (that)

phrase

—used to say that one believes that something is true or should be true, that a particular situation exists or should exist, that something will happen or should happen, etc.

You would think (that) the school would have dictionaries in the classrooms.

Cite this Entry

Style

“You/one would think (that).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/you%2Fone%20would%20think%20%28that%29. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

speculate

Listen to the pronunciation of speculate

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Other Words for Beautiful

Was 'nervous Nellie' a Real Person?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

Popular

See More

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

The Longest Long Words List

9 Other Words for Beautiful