“Weep” follows the pattern weep → wept → wept. The same inflected form serves a finite simple-past clause and a past-participle construction; surrounding grammar identifies the role. Use “wept” for both past roles; do not invent a regular “weeped” alternative without evidence.
ReviewedEvidence2 sourcesSectionEnglish Usage
Quick answer
The simple past and past participle of “weep” are both “wept.”
Key details
Confusion Familyirregular merged past and participle
Rule Familyverb forms
Termsweep, wept
Variant ScopeBoth simple past and past participle are “wept.” Use “wept” for both past roles; do not invent a regular “weeped” alternative without evidence.
Choose the right form
Decision table for Past Tense of Weep
Meaning / situation
Form / construction
Decision
completed action in simple past
wept
Use “wept.”
past participle after have/has/had
wept
Use “wept.”
present/base-form context
weep
Use “weep” when a past form is not required.
Quick tests
Verb-form test
Do you need the simple past or past participle of “weep”?
If yes: Use “wept.”
If no: Use “weep” or the appropriate present form when the sentence is not past.
Caveat: Both simple past and past participle are “wept.” Use “wept” for both past roles; do not invent a regular “weeped” alternative without evidence.
Examples
Example
She wept after hearing the news.
“Wept” is the simple past.
Example
He has wept openly only a few times.
“Wept” is the past participle after “has.”
Example
Some people weep when they are relieved.
The present form is “weep.”
Further guidance
Core difference
Use “wept” for both the simple past and the past participle.
Fast Test
If the sentence needs a past form or participle, choose “wept”; use “weep” or the appropriate present form in present-time contexts.
Usage Boundary
Both simple past and past participle are “wept.” Use “wept” for both past roles; do not invent a regular “weeped” alternative without evidence.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
“Bend” follows the pattern bend → bent → bent. The same inflected form serves a finite simple-past clause and a past-participle construction; surrounding grammar identifies the role. Noun uses such as “a bend” and adjective uses of “bent” are separate from the verb-form decision.
“Bleed” follows the pattern bleed → bled → bled. The same inflected form serves a finite simple-past clause and a past-participle construction; surrounding grammar identifies the role. The verb uses the same irregular form across literal blood-loss and other established verb senses; noun uses are separate.
“Breed” is irregular: breed → bred → bred. The same inflected form serves a finite simple-past clause and a past-participle construction; grammar and surrounding auxiliaries identify the role. The same irregular form applies across reproductive, cultivation, and figurative produce/engender senses, even though those senses remain semantically distinct.
“Bring” follows the pattern bring → brought → brought. The same inflected form serves a finite simple-past clause and a past-participle construction; surrounding grammar identifies the role. The reviewed standard paradigm is bring → brought → brought; avoid unsupported claims about every dialectal or nonstandard form.
“Build” follows the pattern build → built → built. The same inflected form serves a finite simple-past clause and a past-participle construction; surrounding grammar identifies the role. The ordinary irregular paradigm is build → built → built; do not infer an unreviewed regular past form.
“Catch” follows the pattern catch → caught → caught. The same inflected form serves a finite simple-past clause and a past-participle construction; surrounding grammar identifies the role. For ordinary standard uses of the verb, do not regularize the past as “catched”; the reviewed authorities give “caught” for both past roles.
