had

Definition of hadnext
past tense of have
1
2
3
4
5
as in experienced
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it had a great time at the party had three operations on her leg

Synonyms & Similar Words

6
7
8

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of had Since 1950, Kentucky has had 12 Democratic governors, compared to only five in Iowa. — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026 The character had the same condition as Mitte, though more pronounced. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2026 Braves president Alex Anthopoulos had a different perspective during his season-ending media availability on Sunday. — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026 The pending spinoff of Peacock’s parent NBCUniversal from Comcast has not had an impact on its programming strategy so far but the timing of the streamer’s launch has, Katz said. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 12 Oct. 2026 But Singh had the rare opportunity stay with the project through production and serve as an executive producer. — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026 In the director’s tent, Lee sat next to his script supervisor, hunched over a boxy monitor that had long blinders attached to keep out the light. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 The Boss Bottled Beyond fragrance had an avant-première in travel retail, for example. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026 Gen had a bit more growing up to do than Kat, but Kat never let go of her hand. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for had
Verb
  • Investigations also could reach private businesses, such as those owned by billionaire GOP megadonor Elon Musk, that played a significant role in shaping administration policies.
    — Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • During that time, Mallard owned Mallard Dynasty Realty Group, which provided real estate and property management services.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Harris accepted, then asked to co-write the screenplay despite never having tackled a feature script.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Araiza had already punted, but the Raiders accepted the penalty and pushed the Chiefs back into a fourth-and-9.
    — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The blast produced enough energy to flatten a significant stretch of the Siberian wilderness, marking an event that still serves as a cautionary tale — and a major point of reference — for modern planetary defense efforts.
    — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • This stands in sharp contrast to their roles in the 1991 Gulf War coalition, the post-2014 campaign against ISIS, the maritime coalition against the Houthis in the Red Sea in 2023–24, and the diplomacy that produced the 2015 nuclear deal.
    — Philip H. Gordon, Foreign Affairs, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Some veterans say recruiters deceived them and Haitian authorities tortured them; their families call them scapegoats.
    — Astrid Suárez, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Some of the Colombians have long maintained that they were deceived about the mission and arrived at the home after Moïse had already been killed.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • All residents and other property owners who have experienced water outages, low water pressure, or both, are advised to boil all water or use bottled water for drinking, cooking, preparing baby food or brushing their teeth, the news release said.
    — Reed Williams, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • His daughter, Stephanie Friends, experienced that musical life from inside the family home.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Open Doors officials requested accommodation for a 40-person group-living facility at the site, where such facilities are normally not allowed under city rules.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Gators figured out something on defense Florida arrived in Austin ranked last among 16 SEC teams in yards allowed, 15th in points allowed and third-down conversion rate, and 13th in plays of 20 yards or more yielded.
    — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • By automating tasks that once required human discretion, rulers can replace unreliable intermediaries with faithful algorithms that cannot be bribed or manipulated.
    — Seva Gunitsky, Foreign Affairs, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The country’s largest wine and spirits distributor has entered into an agreement with federal prosecutors to resolve allegations that its executives and employees bribed alcohol retailers for favorable placement of certain products.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The rapper, who pleaded not guilty to all charges, has been held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center since he was arrested in September 2024.
    — Daniel S. Levine, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
  • That means every state budget could be held hostage until the whims of a small fraction of legislators is satisfied.
    — Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Had.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/had. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!