What's the past tense of "feel"?
The simple past tense of feel is felt, and the past participle is also felt. Use felt for both simple past and past participle forms.
Definition of feel
The Oxford English Dictionary defines feel as "to perceive, examine or search by touch; to be aware of or affected by; to experience an emotion or physical sensation." It's used in both literal and figurative senses, from physical sensations to emotional experiences.
- The past tense of feel is felt.
- The past participle of feel is felt.
Verb forms of 'feel'
Is "feel" a regular or irregular verb?
The verb feel is irregular. Its past tense and past participle forms are both felt, not “feeled.” This is a pattern shared with a small group of English verbs, and it’s important to recognize when using "feel" in different contexts.
When to use "felt" (past) vs. "felt" (participle)
She felt happy this morning.
I've felt this way before.
The participle form of a verb (shown in the second sentence) uses the auxiliary verb have (in its contraction, I've). This indicates that the participle form is in use, not the simple past. The simple past doesn't use a helper verb since it's a complete tense, so felt can stand alone in sentences, whereas participles require an auxiliary verb.
Similar irregular verbs
Sentence examples: feel, felt, felt
• I feel happy today.
• The fabric feels soft against my skin.
• Do you feel the cold wind?
• She felt nervous before the presentation.
• He felt the texture of the material carefully.
• They felt disappointed by the results.
• I have felt this sensation before.
• She has felt uncertain about the decision.
• The effects have been felt throughout the organization.
Synonyms & nearby words
Synonyms for feel
Nearby phrases
Practice: “Feel” conjugations
She ______ excited about the new opportunity.
The team is ______ confident about their chances.
I have ______ this way many times before.
He ______ the cold breeze on his face yesterday.
They will ______ better after some rest.
FAQs
What is the past tense of "feel"?
What is the past participle of "feel"?
Is "feeled" ever correct?
Is "feel" a regular or irregular verb?
What are some common phrases with "felt"?
Sources
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Oxford English Dictionary. "feel, v." OED Online. Oxford University Press. Date of access 15 Oct. 2025.
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Cambridge Dictionary. "feel." Cambridge University Press. Date of access 15 Oct. 2025.
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