# shone

/ˈʃoʊn/ (US) · /ʃˈɒn/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shone
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

the past tense of shine. It means something gave off light or looked very bright.

For teachers: the past tense and past participle of 'shine'. Refers to the emission or reflection of light.

## Examples

- The sun shone brightly all afternoon.
- The lighthouse beam shone across the dark water, guiding the ships safely into the harbor.
- The moonlight shone through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting long, silver shadows across the wooden floor of the bedroom.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The sun shined yesterday." but "The sun shone yesterday." — For natural light or brightness, 'shone' is the standard past tense; 'shined' is typically reserved for the act of polishing something.

## Usage notes

- Intransitive when referring to light emission; the transitive past tense for polishing an object is usually 'shined'.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.