found
FOWND
Found (verb) means past tense and past participle of "find.". Example: “She found her keys under the couch.”
verb
1
Past tense and past participle of "find."
"She found her keys under the couch."
"We found a wallet on the bus and handed it in."
"Have you found the book that you were looking for?"
2
To establish or start something, such as an organization or institution.
"The two friends founded the company in a garage."
"The university was founded over two hundred years ago."
"A group of local farmers decided to found a small cooperative."
3
To base something on a particular idea, principle, or fact.
"His argument is founded on years of research."
"The film is founded on a true story from a small fishing village."
"Their friendship was founded on trust and a shared love of music."
How to use found
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the past tense of "find," or the act of starting something, or basing something on solid ground.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "founder" (to sink or fail) — "the ship foundered" is very different from "the ship was found."
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- founds
- Third person singular
- founds
- Past tense
- founded
- Archaic forms
- foundest, foundeth, foundedst
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She _____ her keys under the couch.
Etymology
The "establish" sense comes from Latin fundare, "to lay a foundation"; the past-tense sense is simply the irregular past form of "find."
Synonyms
View more →
discovered
located
came across
unearthed
spotted
encountered
detected
ground
institute
establish
base
constitute
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for found
See all rhymes for found →Frequently asked questions
What does “found” mean?
The word “found” means past tense and past participle of "find.". In plain terms, either the past tense of "find," or the act of starting something, or basing something on solid ground.
How do you pronounce “found”?
“Found” is pronounced FOWND (/ˈfaʊ̯nd/ in IPA).
How do you use “found” in a sentence?
Here is “found” used in a sentence: “She found her keys under the couch.”
What is the opposite of “found”?
The opposite of “found” — its antonyms — are ruin, dissolve and abolish.
What part of speech is “found”?
“Found” is a verb.
Where does the word “found” come from?
The word “found” comes from Latin. The "establish" sense comes from Latin fundare, "to lay a foundation"; the past-tense sense is simply the irregular past form of "find.".
Is “found” a common word?
“Found” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “found” have?
“Found” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: past tense and past participle of "find.".
What is the difference between 'found' and 'founded'?
They come from different verbs. "Found" is the past tense of "find," meaning to discover, as in "I found my keys." "Founded" is the past tense of "found" meaning to establish, as in "the company was founded in 1990." So you found something you had lost, but you founded an organisation you set up.
Is 'found' always the past tense of 'find'?
No. There are two separate verbs. Most often "found" is the past tense and past participle of "find," meaning to discover. But "found" is also its own present-tense verb meaning to establish or set up something, as in "they found a charity." Context tells you which verb is at work.
What is the difference between 'found' and 'founder'?
To "found" is a verb meaning to establish something. A "founder" is the person who does this, the one who founds a company or movement. Confusingly, "founder" is also a separate verb meaning to fail or sink, as in "the ship foundered." So the single word "founder" carries two unrelated meanings.
What is the past participle of 'find'?
It is "found," the same as the simple past tense. You use it with "have" or "had": "I have found the answer" or "the report was found on his desk." "Find" is an irregular verb, so both of its past forms are "found" rather than ending in the usual -ed.
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing found in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
Known as erythrulose, that sugar is most commonly found on Earth in raspberries.
From
CBC News · Jul 26, 2026
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