Shall/ʃəl/ Definition 1 of 4Pro Tip 1/3Legal Certainty Often signals required actions in contracts, indicating obligations with no room for discretion. Tenants shall provide notice before vacating. Pro Tip 2/3Formal Future Implies a formal tone when making statements about the future, often used in official contexts. The ceremony shall begin at noon. Pro Tip 3/3Not Commonly Spoken Rarely used in everyday conversation; 'will' is more common, especially in American English. Directors shall meet annually.