Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Trojans’ defense certainly didn’t help matters, in spite of assurances that it had ironed out its issues over three standout, second-half performances.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2025
But by game time, Baxter had ironed out the mistakes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2016
"Luckily, I had ironed my clothes the night before," Scott said with a big enough smile to make it clear he was kidding.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 29, 2012
He practiced with the fourth line, because two games with the Bears had ironed the final kinks and bolstered his stamina.
From Washington Post
It was a thrill to be in such a different world and I’d feel a prickly awareness of how good my shoes were, how clean my white pinafore dress that Constantine had ironed for me.
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
