# went

/ˈwɛnt/ (US) · /wˈɛnt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/went
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. past tense of go

verb · CEFR A1

the past tense of 'go'; you use this to say that you moved from one place to another in the past.

For teachers: the irregular simple past tense of 'go'. It functions as the preterite for all senses of 'go', including physical movement, change of state, and the passage of time.

- We went to the beach last Saturday because the weather was so warm.
- After the meeting concluded, the entire department went to a nearby restaurant to celebrate the successful launch of the project.

Usage: This is an irregular past tense form; it does not take the '-ed' ending.

## Examples

- She went to the store to buy some milk.
- We went to the beach last weekend because the weather was finally warm enough for swimming.
- The delegation went to the capital to present their findings to the committee, hoping for a swift resolution to the ongoing dispute.

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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.