had

Definition of hadnext
past tense of have
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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

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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 After an initial miss, Jefferson had four makes in a row, needing one save to clinch the win. Sarah Spencer, AJC.com, 13 May 2026 Nurse, who has had to deal with multiple challenges during his time with the Sixers, will remain a constant, at least for the near future. Tony Jones, New York Times, 13 May 2026 Trey Ebel had a home run and three RBIs. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026 The fitness center had glass walls facing the gym (perhaps to add a bit of workout motivation before donning a swimsuit). Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 May 2026 By the end of the quarter, the Knicks had 35 points on 65% shooting and a 13-point lead, while Atlanta already looked out of rhythm. C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026 Avery Bray had a home run, triple and double for Geneva softball in a win. Johnny Gorches, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026 But yes, that was cold-blooded to Dickson, who clearly had a crush on her. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 Mar. 2025 Police had Bumgardner take a breathalyzer test twice, several minutes apart. Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 5 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for had
Verb
  • Deborah Weymouth was the CEO of ECHN, the entity that owned Manchester and Rockville hospital, for more than six years, from September 2019 to January 2026.
    Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
  • Prosecutors allege Price failed to disclose payments received by a company owned by his wife from developers and public agencies with matters pending before the City Council, and failed to recuse himself from votes involving those projects.
    Teresa Liu, Daily News, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • Rogen accepted the award on her behalf and delivered a speech that brought much of the audience to tears.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 10 May 2026
  • Reportedly, Charles had been handing William more responsibilities amidst his cancer battle and had pretty much accepted William’s time was coming sooner, rather than later.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • This story was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education, and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
    Stacker, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
  • Instead, its dense core deformed the surface in a way that produced the basin’s unusual tapered shape.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • The lawsuit alleged that Capital One deceived customers about interest rates related to some of its savings account options, according to court filings on the settlement website.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 3 May 2026
  • But some were also deceived or coerced.
    Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The passengers left the ship and entered the United States before the outbreak was identified, said officials, and have not experienced any symptoms.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 8 May 2026
  • People who have weakened immune systems and who experienced intense pain during an initial outbreak are also more susceptible to getting shingles a second (or even third) time.
    Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 7 May 2026
Verb
  • Being too patient in the build-up also allowed City to recover their shape and shut down crossing opportunities.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 13 May 2026
  • People are talking about how we may not be allowed to enter the harbor.
    Akash Kapur, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
Verb
  • As seen in a now-viral video on TikTok, Alexis took matters into her own hands and bribed her little girl with $2 to cooperate and smile for picture day.
    Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Forest might have added a third European trophy in six years under him had opponents Anderlecht not bribed the referee for their semi-final in the 1983-84 UEFA Cup (today’s Europa League).
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 30 Apr. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Had.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/had. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

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