wed
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to marry (another person) in a formal ceremony.
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to unite (a couple) in marriage or wedlock; marry.
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to bind by close or lasting ties; attach firmly.
She wedded herself to the cause of economic justice.
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to blend together or unite inseparably.
a novel that weds style and content perfectly.
verb (used without object)
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to contract marriage; marry.
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to become united or to blend.
a building that will wed with the landscape.
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contraction of we had:
Sometimes I wish we'd bought a bigger house.
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contraction of we would:
Of course we'd be happy to donate to the school's fundraiser.
abbreviation
verb
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to take (a person of the opposite sex) as a husband or wife; marry
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(tr) to join (two people) in matrimony
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(tr) to unite closely
abbreviation
contraction
Usage
See contraction.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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wedsimple
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wedssimple
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have wedperfect
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have weddedperfect
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has wedperfect
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has weddedperfect
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are weddingprogressive
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am weddingprogressive
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is weddingprogressive
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have been weddingperfect progressive
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has been weddingperfect progressive
Past
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wedsimple
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weddedsimple
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had wedperfect
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had weddedperfect
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was weddingprogressive
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were weddingprogressive
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had been weddingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of wed
First recorded before 900; Middle English wedde, Old English weddian “to pledge, marry, get married”; cognate with German wetten “to bet,” Old Norse vethja “to pledge”
Explanation
To wed is to get married to someone. Your dream might be to wed your dream spouse in Hawaii some day. The verb wed is mainly used in a formal context — marry is more common. You can also use either word to mean "join in marriage" or "perform a marriage ceremony," like when the Archbishop of Canterbury weds members of British royalty. Wed shares a Germanic root with words in various languages meaning "pledge," but also "bet or wager."
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.
Shower and thunderstorms are possible anytime through Wednesday, with Tue afternoon through Wed afternoon having the highest chances.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 22, 2025
Numerous flash floods, hazardous travel, power outages, and tree damage can be expected as the storm reaches max intensity on Wed.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2024
Wed: More designers are making gender-neutral wedding looks.
From New York Times • Feb. 4, 2024
USD 420 School Closure Due to Illness Osage City Schools will be closed for the remainder of the semester starting Wed, Dec. 14 due to a high number of absences.
From Washington Post • Dec. 23, 2022
Typed on Daddy’s Royal typewriter at 3:27 pm on Wed.,
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
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.