learnt
Americanverb
verb
Usage
And is learnt in the dictionary? Learnt is a word. It is the simple past tense and the past participle of the verb learn. Learnt causes some confusion because learned is also a valid form for the past tense and past participle of learn. Learned is more commonly used than learnt.
What's the past tense of learn?
The past tense of learn can be either learned or learnt, with learned being more common. For example:- Last night, she learned all her times tables by heart.
- Last night, she learnt her times tables by heart.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"And I feel like I learnt to do that too," she says.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The Army says it is prioritising the training that has been informed by lessons learnt from the war in Ukraine, and is reviewing each request for training on a case-by-case basis.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Martin Greensmith, 37, only learnt Steven Shevels, 61, was his biological father shortly before their encounter behind The Queen's Head in Willington, County Durham, on 24 December, Teesside Crown Court heard.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
During her courses, she learnt about tinting, waxing, facials and massage, which was taught as a separate module.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
Blake, who was from Maryland, was the only surviving child of eight born to former slaves, and like Chaplin he had learnt his trade as a vaudeville performer.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
