What’s the past tense of “win”?
The verb to win has one past tense verb form, which is is won (pronounced like one). Won is the only past tense and past participle form of the present tense verb, win. Whether we use won in the simple past vs. as a past participle, it remains unchanged, and is simply won.
Verb conjugations: win/won
The verb to win is defined by the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary as “to be the most successful in a competition, race, battle, etc.: ‘He wins the prize every year” (third-person present singular).
| present | past | future | |
| simple | I win | I won | I will win |
| continuous | I am winning | I was winning | I will be winning |
| perfect | I have won | I had won | I will have won |
| perfect continuous | I have been winning | I had been winning | I will have been winning |
1. To win is in the present tense: He has yet to win a major tournament.
2. Won is in the simple past: The Raptors won the game.
3. Won is the past participle: You have won me over.
Win vs. Won: what’s the difference?
What differentiates the past simple tense from the past participle form of the verb, to win? Let’s have a look:
Past tense: He won the race yesterday.
Past participle: The trophy had been won by a different team last year.
Notice how the participle form of the verb, won, uses an auxiliary/helping verb, such as has/have/had. To create the past perfect tense, use had + past participle, won.The auxiliary had indicates that it’s the past participial form of the verb and not the simple past tense.
| base verb | past tense | past participle |
| spit | spat | spat |
| sit | sat | sat |
| tell | told | told |
| win | won | won |
| shoot | shot | shot |
| lose | lost | lost |
The verb win used in sentences
1. Does he have what it takes to win the Tour?
2. She entered election day in a strong position to win.
3. He has yet to win a major tournament.
4. I never win at tennis.
5. We hope the party will win by a landslide. (future tense)
Examples of the word won used in sentences
1. He won a scholarship to study at Stanford.
2. When was the last time our country won the World Cup?
3. Yesterday, I won.
4. The Yankees won the game.
5. I won at poker.
Examples of the word won used in sentences
1. I had won every single game.
2. The Jays had won all their games this season
3. You have won the prize every year.
4. Eric had won the game since Michael forfeited.
5. You have won me over.
Synonyms of win/won
- conquered
- gained
- triumphed
- prevailed
- succeeded
- overcame
Phrases with ‘win’
| phrase | meaning |
| in it to win it | literal; to participate in order to place first, or ‘win’. |
| the house always wins | “a casino (the “house”) functions in such a manner that it will always maintain a profit”. |
| you win some, you lose some | often said as a consolation to someone who’s lost at something. |
| slow and steady wins the race | persistence and diligence (while may be slow) will get you where you want to go eventually |
| play silly games, win stupid prizes | if you participate in foolish competitions you will gain foolish outcomes |
| win by a hair’s breadth | to come in first, or ‘win’ albeit very marginally |
| to win by a landslide | to win by a considerable degree or to a great extent |
| what wins on Sunday sells on Monday | when people see what succeeds they want to be a part of it |
| to win (something) fair and square | to come out on top in a way that’s legitimate and honest |
| can’t win ’em all | similar to “win some, lose some”, meaning, you can’t get everything you want |
Origin of the verb, win
From etymology online on win (v.):
Old English winn “labor, toil; strife, conflict; profit, gain,” from the source of win (v.). Modern sense of “a victory in a game or contest” is first attested 1862, from the verb.
Read about other verb forms
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- What’s the past tense of lead?
- What’s the past tense of choose?
- What’s the past tense of fly?
- What’s the past tense of lay?
- What’s the past tense of drive?
- What’s the past tense of draw?
Sources
- Etymology online, the origin of win.
- Definition of win from Oxford Learner’s Dictionary.
Work Sheet
According to the post, what is the past tense form of the verb “win”?
What is the past participle form of the verb “win”?
How is the word “won” pronounced, according to the blog post?
In which sentence is “won” used as the simple past tense?
According to the post, which type of verb is typically used with “won” when it functions as a past participle?
Our team hopes to the championship this year.
She first place in the competition last week.
They have already several games this season.
He had me over with his charm.
I never at chess against him.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the past tense of win?
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Is ‘won’ also the past participle?
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How is past tense won different from participle?
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How do you pronounce the word ‘won’?
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Give example of ‘won’ as past participle.
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Yash, D. "What’s the Past Tense of Win? (Win vs. Won)." Grammarflex, Jun 7, 2025, https://www.grammarflex.com/whats-the-past-tense-of-win-win-vs-won/.
Sources
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Etymology online, the origin of win.
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Definition of win from Oxford Learner’s Dictionary.
