Past of Plead (Pleaded and Pled)

by Craig Shrives
The Quick Answer
What is the past tense of to plead?

The most acceptable past form of to plead is pleaded, but pled has also become acceptable.

What Is the Past Tense of To Plead? Pleaded or Pled?

The most acceptable past tense of to plead is pleaded, but, through common usage (especially in the US), pled has also become acceptable in both the UK and US conventions. If you're looking for the version that will aggravate the least, opt for pleaded.

To Plead Was a Weak, Regular Verb

To Plead was originally just a weak, regular verb, meaning its past forms were only pleaded (past tense) and has pleaded (past participle).

However, over time, to plead has been treated like a weak, irregular verb, probably because it sounds a lot like to bleed, the past forms of which are bled and has bled.

Here is to plead with some other weak, regular verbs:
Weak VerbSimple Past TensePast ParticipleComment
lovelovedhas lovedregular verb
playplayedhas playedregular verb
pleadpleadedhas pleadedregular verb

Here is to plead with some other weak, irregular verbs:
Weak VerbSimple Past TensePast ParticipleComment
telltoldhas toldirregular verb
bleedbledhas bledirregular verb
pleadpledhas pledirregular verb

Plea Is the Noun

Of note, the noun is plea. For example:
  • He pleads guilty by submitting a guilty plea.
    • (In this example, pleads is a verb in the present tense and plea is a noun.)
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See Also

adopted or adoptive? adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? tenant or tenet? who's or whose?
What are weak verbs? What are regular verbs? What are irregular verbs? What are noun? What are verbs? List of easily confused words