flown
Flown (adj) means the past participle of "fly," used to describe travel through the air or an aircraft that has already departed. Example: “The pilot has flown this exact route dozens of times.”
How to use flown
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTraveled through the air — the completed form of "fly."
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The pilot has _____ this exact route dozens of times.
Etymology
From Old English flogen, the past participle of fleogan ("to fly").
Synonyms
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Rhymes for flown
See all rhymes for flown →Frequently asked questions
What does “flown” mean?
The word “flown” means the past participle of "fly," used to describe travel through the air or an aircraft that has already departed. In plain terms, traveled through the air — the completed form of "fly.".
How do you pronounce “flown”?
“Flown” is pronounced FLOHN (/ˈfloʊn/ in IPA).
How do you use “flown” in a sentence?
Here is “flown” used in a sentence: “The pilot has flown this exact route dozens of times.”
What part of speech is “flown”?
“Flown” is an adjective.
Where does the word “flown” come from?
The word “flown” comes from Old English. From Old English flogen, the past participle of fleogan ("to fly").
Is “flown” a common word?
“Flown” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between flew and flown?
Flew is the simple past tense of "fly," used alone to describe a completed action, as in "She flew to Paris." Flown is the past participle, which needs a helping verb like "has," "have," or "had," as in "She has flown to Paris," or is used as an adjective, as in "a flown aircraft."
When should you use flown instead of flew in a sentence?
Use flown after a form of "have" to form the perfect tense, such as "They have already flown out," or after "be" in passive constructions like "The plane was flown by an experienced pilot." Flew is used on its own without a helping verb.
Is it correct to say the plane has flown or the plane has flew?
The correct form is "the plane has flown," since flown is the past participle required after the auxiliary verb "has." "Has flew" is a common grammatical error because flew cannot follow a helping verb.