verb Uncommon

Shone

Shone (verb) means past tense of "shine" — gave off light, or performed impressively. Example: “The moon shone brightly over the bay.”

verb

Past tense of "shine" — gave off light, or performed impressively.

"The moon shone brightly over the bay."

"She shone in her first solo performance."

How to use Shone

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe past-tense form of "shine": glowed with light, or stood out for doing well.

UK vs US

British English almost always uses "shone" as the past tense; American English sometimes uses "shined," especially for the "polished" sense (he shined his shoes).

Easily confused with

shined

Word forms

Shones plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “Shone” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The moon _____ brightly over the bay.

Etymology

Anglicized form of Welsh Siôn (“John”).

Origin: Welsh

Rhymes for Shone

one bone done gone none tone lone hone cone zone stone phone

See all rhymes for Shone →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Shone” mean?

The word “Shone” means past tense of "shine" — gave off light, or performed impressively. In plain terms, the past-tense form of "shine": glowed with light, or stood out for doing well.

How do you use “Shone” in a sentence?

Here is “Shone” used in a sentence: “The moon shone brightly over the bay.”

What part of speech is “Shone”?

“Shone” is a verb.

Is “Shone” a common word?

“Shone” is an uncommon word in modern English.