Weaved vs. Wove
“Wove” and “weaved” are not always interchangeable in the same way. For weaving cloth, “wove” is the traditional past form and US English also documents “weaved”; for the movement sense, “weaved” is the normal past form.
Use “wove” for the traditional past of weaving cloth; “weaved” is also documented in US usage and is the normal past form for moving in and out through obstacles.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Context | Use | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| traditional simple past for making cloth or interlacing material | wove | Use “wove” for the traditional past form. |
| US variation for the cloth/interlacing sense | weaved | US usage also documents “weaved” in this sense. |
| moved in and out around obstacles | weaved | Use “weaved” for the movement sense. |
Quick tests
Decision test
Is the verb describing movement in and out rather than making/interlacing material?
If yes: Movement sense → “weaved.”
If no: For the cloth/interlacing sense, “wove” is the traditional past; “weaved” is also documented in US usage.
Caveat: The choice is partly sense-based and partly usage variation; do not reduce it to a single universal past form.
Examples
She wove the strips into a small basket.
“Wove” is the traditional past for interlacing material.
The cyclist weaved through the slow traffic.
“Weaved” is the normal past for the movement sense.
The artisan weaved the fibers by hand.
US usage documents “weaved” for the cloth/interlacing sense as well.
Further guidance
Core difference
For the cloth/interlacing sense, “wove” is the established irregular past form, with “weaved” also documented in US usage.
Sense Boundary
For the movement sense—moving repeatedly from side to side or around obstacles—Cambridge gives “weaved” as the past form. The intended meaning therefore matters.
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.
- Weave — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Dictionary evidence distinguishing wove/woven from weaved, including the movement sense of “weave.”