verb

placed

playst

Placed (verb) means past tense and past participle of place: put something in a particular position, or arranged for someone to go somewhere. Example: “She placed the vase on the windowsill.”

verb

Past tense and past participle of place: put something in a particular position, or arranged for someone to go somewhere.

"She placed the vase on the windowsill."

"The child was placed with a foster family."

adjective

In a position to do something, usually with an adverb such as well, badly or ideally.

"He is well placed to take over the department."

"The hotel is ideally placed for the station."

In a race or competition: having finished among the leading few, especially in the first three.

"Her horse placed second at Newmarket."

"Only the placed runners collect prize money."

How to Use Placed

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishPut somewhere, or finished near the top of a race.

When to use it

Neutral; the -ced ending is pronounced as a single 't' sound.

Easily confused with

placed → paced → plaited

Common pairings

well placed strategically placed placed on hold placed under arrest placed third

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Can you complete this real example?

She _____ the vase on the windowsill.

Etymology

From place, which came through Old French from Latin platea 'broad street', itself from Greek plateia (hodos) 'broad way'.

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for placed

faced paced raced laced braced effaced surfaced misplaced disgraced

See all rhymes for placed →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 'well placed' mean?

It means favourably positioned, either literally, as with a shop near a station, or figuratively, as with a person who has the contacts and experience to succeed at something.

What does it mean if a horse placed?

It finished in one of the paying positions, usually the top two, three or four depending on the field size and the bookmaker's rules, rather than winning outright.