warn
verb (used with object)
to give notice, advice, or intimation to (a person, group, etc.) of danger, impending evil, possible harm, or anything else unfavorable.
had warned
-
past perfectof warn.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
As Washington had warned when Lafayette contemplated a return in the 1790s, “you would lose the confidence of one party or the other, perhaps both, were you here under these circumstances.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026
Insurers had warned the proposal could raise premiums by as much as 50%.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
Anwar added that he had warned the Rohingya not to disrupt the lives of Malaysians.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Ukraine's air force had warned of Russian "Kalibr" missiles in the vicinity of the village of Kagarlyk within the Kyiv region, heading towards the capital.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Patriots had somehow managed to intercept the real letter, in which Wright had warned that the rebels were threatening British rule.
From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen
