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past tense

American

[past tens] / ˈpæst ˈtɛns /

Also past

noun

Grammar.

(in English) the simple past.
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.
an instance or form of a specific verb expressing a past action or state.

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.

Analysts were surprised at the unanimous decision of the usually fractured Monetary Policy Committee, and by the statement using the past tense to refer to “disinflation.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

But why, she wondered, was this beloved hometown mentioned only in the past tense?

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

How many words does Ellie have now, not counting like the past tense of a verb or something?

From Salon • Nov. 2, 2025

"Elon and I had a great relationship," Trump said on Thursday – a comment notable for its use of the past tense.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2025

A lifetime of slavery shifted suddenly into the past tense.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023