Word
bought
US/ˈbɑt/
UK/bˈɔːt/
Definitions
01past tense of buy
A1 · Beginner
v. the past form of 'buy'. You use this to say you paid for something in the past.
v. the past tense and past participle of 'buy'. It is a transitive verb requiring a direct object representing the item or service acquired.
“I bought some fresh bread and milk from the shop this morning.”
“She bought the property at the height of the market, unaware that prices were about to drop significantly across the region.”
Pitfall
I have buyed a new car.
I have bought a new car.
The verb 'buy' is irregular. Do not add '-ed'; use 'bought' for both the past simple and the past participle.
Antonyms
02corrupt or controlled by money
C1 · Advanced Politics Informal
adj. used to describe a person, like a politician, who is dishonest because they take money to do what someone else wants.
adj. describing a person or organisation whose loyalty or services have been purchased, typically implying corruption or a loss of independence.
“Many voters believe the local council is bought and paid for by big developers.”
“The investigative journalist argued that the senator was a bought man, citing numerous campaign contributions from the very industry he was supposed to regulate.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
See buy.
From Middle English bought, bowght, bouȝt, *buȝt, probably an alteration of bight, biȝt, byȝt (“bend, bight”) after bowen, buwen, buȝen (“to bow, bend”). Cognate with Scots boucht, bucht, bout (“bend”). More at bight and bout.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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