past tense
Americannoun
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past tenses
plural
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(in English) the simple past.
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any verb formation or construction used to express an action or state occurring in the past, such as, in English, the past progressive, present perfect, and pluperfect tenses.
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an instance or form of a specific verb expressing a past action or state.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of past tense
First recorded in 1650–60
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.
Ms. Cline inhabits his thoughts in close third-person and though she writes in the past tense, her narration evokes an intimate, sometimes smothering feeling of presentness—of being confined within David’s immediate consciousness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Throughout the speech, Thomas often used past tense in describing the movement.
From Salon ● Apr. 19, 2026
The myth loomed large, but it was past tense -- until now.
From Barron's ● Apr. 7, 2026
While it is still difficult for Kumar to refer to his daughter in the past tense, he said Grace was behind his motivation to keep pursuing accountability.
From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2026
“Here in Brooklyn ‘stood’ is like the past tense of ‘stay.’
From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
