The Open Dictionary

could've

short form

UK/ˈkʊd.ᵊv/
US/ˈkʊd.ᵊv/

Definitions of could've short form

  1. A contracted form of 'could have'.

    • We could've avoided the traffic if we had left earlier.

    • I could've helped you if you had told me sooner.

    • They could've won the game, but they made a critical mistake.