Definition of "supposed to" in English

Adjective

1. Expected to. Required to, obliged to, ought to.

   • I am supposed to report to the police every week.
   • Paul is supposed to call his mother every day.
   • The phone is supposed to come with a manual.
   • You are not supposed to smoke in the restaurant.
   • How am I supposed to work in all this racket?
   • What was he supposed to do—just sit there and do nothing?
   • It's supposed to rain.
   • The movie is supposed to be good.
   • The thief is supposed to be hiding in the forest.
   • The phone is supposed to save us time.
   • Is that supposed to be funny?

2. Required to, obliged to, ought to.

   • I am supposed to report to the police every week.
   • Paul is supposed to call his mother every day.
   • The phone is supposed to come with a manual.

3. Permitted to.

   • You are not supposed to smoke in the restaurant.

4. Able to, capable of (used to indicate that an expectation is impossible or unreasonable in the context).

   • How am I supposed to work in all this racket?
   • What was he supposed to do—just sit there and do nothing?

5. Believed to; generally considered to; considered likely to.

   • It's supposed to rain.
   • The movie is supposed to be good.
   • The thief is supposed to be hiding in the forest.

6. Intended to; meant to.

   • The phone is supposed to save us time.
   • Is that supposed to be funny?

7. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see supposed,‎ to.

   • The movie is supposed to be good.
   • The thief is supposed to be hiding in the forest.