learnt
Americanverb
verb
Usage
And is learnt in the dictionary? Learnt is a word. It is the simple past tense and the past participle of the verb learn. Learnt causes some confusion because learned is also a valid form for the past tense and past participle of learn. Learned is more commonly used than learnt.
What's the past tense of learn?
The past tense of learn can be either learned or learnt, with learned being more common. For example:- Last night, she learned all her times tables by heart.
- Last night, she learnt her times tables by heart.
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.
Magyar says he learnt quickly on his six nationwide tours.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
"We've learnt that due to sustained pressure, France has had to withdraw its invitation to South Africa to attend the G7 meeting," Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson to the president, told AFP.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
She added: "He watches a lot of YouTube videos with marble races where countries are represented by marbles... He just learnt them all from that and a book we've got."
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026
“I think, as you say, the textbook and what we’ve learnt from central banks through history is an oil-price shock is actually seen as more of a growth issue than an inflation issue,” he said.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026
Did yeh never wonder where yer parents learnt it all?
From "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. Rowling
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
