How to Use the Word "Cut" (Irregular Verbs)

What's the past tense of "cut"?

The simple past tense of cut is cut, and the past participle is also cut. This irregular verb maintains the same form across all tenses. Use cut for both simple past and past participle forms.

Definition of cut

The verb cut, as described by Oxford Dictionary: "To make an opening, incision, or wound in something with a sharp-edged tool or object: he cut his finger on a piece of glass." Also, "To divide something into pieces with a knife or other sharp implement: cut the beef into thin slices."

• The past tense of cut is cut.
• The past participle of cut is cut.

Verb forms of 'cut'

Is "cut" a regular or irregular verb?

Cut is an irregular verb. Unlike regular verbs that add "-ed" to form the past tense, cut maintains the same form for present, past, and past participle. This makes it part of a small group of irregular verbs that never change form, such as shut, put, and hit.

When to use cut

He cut the rope with a sharp knife.

The surgeon has cut carefully around the tumor.

The verb cut uses the same form for both simple past tense and present or past perfect), it requires an auxiliary verb like have, has, or had. The simple past doesn't use a helper verb since it's a complete tense, so cut can stand alone in sentences, whereas participles require an auxiliary verb.

Similar irregular verbs

Like cut, these verbs maintain the same form across present, past, and past participle tenses:

Sentence examples: cut, cut, cut

Synonyms & nearby words

Common phrases with "cut" (detailed)

FAQs

Sources

1. "Cut, V." Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, March 2025.