How to Use Stick or Stuck (Explained, With Examples)

First published on January 16, 2023 by Dalia Y.|Last revised on October 20, 2024

The verb stick has two forms: stick and stuck. Stick is the present tense; stuck is the past simple and the past participle form of the verb.

Past Tense Of

How to Use Stick or Stuck (Explained, With Examples)

What's the past tense of "stick"?

The simple past tense of stick is stuck, and the past participle is also stuck. Use stuck for both simple past and past participle forms.

Definition of stick

The Oxford English Dictionary defines stick as "to attach or adhere; to fix in place by piercing or pushing; to remain in a certain position." The verb stick (not to be confused with the noun, stick, as in a branch or twig) is used in various contexts, from physical attachment to remaining fixed in place.

The past tense of stick is stuck.

The past participle of stick is stuck.

Verb forms of 'stick'

Simple Cont. Perfect Perfect Cont.

Present

I/you/they stick • He/she/it sticks

Past

I/you/they stuck • He/she/it stuck

Future

I/you/they will stick • He/she/it will stick

Present

I am/you are sticking • He/she/it is sticking

Past

I was/you were sticking • He/she/it was sticking

Future

I/you will be sticking • He/she/it will be sticking

Present

I/you have stuck • He/she/it has stuck

Past

I/you had stuck • He/she/it had stuck

Future

I/you will have stuck • He/she/it will have stuck

Present

I have been sticking • He/she/it has been sticking

Past

I had been sticking • He/she/it had been sticking

Future

I will have been sticking • He/she/it will have been sticking

Is "stick" a regular or irregular verb?

Answer: Stick is an irregular verb— its past conjugations are stuck in all cases.

Note: Regular verbs end in -ed in the past tense. Any other verb ending is considered irregular.

The verb stick is irregular. Evidently, stick has two forms altogether: stick and stuck. Neither of these ends in –ed, which means that the verb stick is irregular (according to the rules of English grammar). Its past tense and past participle forms are both stuck, not "sticked."

stick

Past: stuck

Past part: stuck

When to use "stuck" (past) vs. "stuck" (participle)

I stuck my bag in the locker.

We had been stuck in the elevator for at least an hour before someone realized.

The participle form of a verb (shown in the second sentence) uses the auxiliary verb have as a contraction, I've.

When auxiliaries like have or had appear in the same sentence as a past participle verb form, this indicates that the verb's aspect is in the present or past perfect, and not the simple past tense.

Remember, a participle always uses a helper verb to form the complete tense or aspect. Simple tenses, on the other hand, can stand on their own.

Sentence examples: stick, stuck, stuck

Stick (present tense)

• The glue's useless—the pieces just won't stick.

• We used glue to stick the broken pieces together.

• My clothes are sticking to my body from the sweat.

Stuck (past simple)

• He stuck his hands in his pockets and strolled off.

• The nurse stuck the needle into my arm.

• I stuck the photos into an album.

Stuck (present or past perfect)

• I wouldn't have wanted to be stuck on a desert island with her.

• The key has stuck in the lock.

• She had something stuck between her teeth.

Synonyms & nearby words

Synonyms for stick

adhere cling attach fasten cleave clutch

Nearby phrases

stick together stick out stick around stick to stick up for stick with

Common phrases with "stick"

sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me

because words don't cause physical harm it may be ignored

stick together

to stay in close proximity or nearby others/someone

a stick in the mud

someone who is considered boring/not fun

stick and stay, make it play

work hard and stay dedicated to see the results

stick out like a sore thumb

to be obvious and conspicuous

the sticks

meaning the woods or forest

the carrot and the stick

a way to reward/stimulate activity through motivation

throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks

to make numerous attempts to see what succeeds

stick to your guns

stay truthful to yourself and your beliefs

get the short end of the stick

to get an unfavourable outcome/deal

Practice: stick (verb forms)

FAQs

What is the simple past tense of "stick"?

The simple past tense of the verb "stick" is "stuck." This form is used for actions completed in the past, such as in the sentence "The old car stuck in the mud."

Is "stick" a regular or irregular verb?

"Stick" is an irregular verb. This is because its past tense and present or past perfect) do not end in "-ed", which is the characteristic of regular verbs.

What is the past participle of "stick"?

The past participle of "stick" is "stuck." This form is used with auxiliary verbs like "have" or "had" to create perfect tenses, such as "I have stuck the label on the package."

Can I say 'sticked' for the past?

No, you should not use "sticked." "Stick" is an irregular verb, and its correct past tense and past participle form is "stuck," not "sticked."

How is past tense 'stuck' used?

The simple past tense form "stuck" is used for actions that happened and finished at a specific point in the past, like "I stuck the photos into an album" or "He stuck his hands in his pockets."