Word
underwent
Phoneticsun·der·went
US/ˌəndɝˈwɛnt/
UK/ˌʌndəwˈɛnt/
Definition
v. to experience something, especially a change, a medical treatment, or a difficult process.
v. to experience or be subjected to something, typically a process that is unpleasant, necessary, or transformative. The past tense of 'undergo'.
Examples
“The old building underwent a complete renovation last year.”
“The patient underwent several tests before the doctors could confirm the diagnosis and start the treatment.”
“The aerospace industry underwent a period of rapid consolidation as smaller firms merged to survive the rising costs of research and development.”
Examples
simple
“The old building underwent a complete renovation last year.”
contextual
“The patient underwent several tests before the doctors could confirm the diagnosis and start the treatment.”
complex
“The aerospace industry underwent a period of rapid consolidation as smaller firms merged to survive the rising costs of research and development.”
Usage
Transitive verb — always takes a direct object. As the past tense form, it does not take an auxiliary 'did' in affirmative statements.
Pitfall
He was underwent surgery
He underwent surgery
Learners often treat 'underwent' as a passive participle; it is an active past tense verb.
Real-World Examples
“She underwent emergency brain surgery after the attack.” “At the same time, the disc supplying material to the black hole underwent major changes.” Collocations
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/underwent