burnt
B1neutral to formal; 'burned' is often preferred in formal American writing
Definition
Meaning
damaged or destroyed by fire; the past tense and past participle of 'burn'
can describe something charred, overcooked, or metaphorically exhausted/emotionally scarred; also used for sun-damaged skin
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Functions as both verb (past tense/participle) and adjective. As adjective, often implies a more permanent or severe state than 'burned'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In UK English, 'burnt' is standard for both verb and adjective. In US English, 'burned' is more common for verb forms, while 'burnt' is often used adjectivally, especially before nouns.
Connotations
UK: neutral standard form. US: sometimes carries a slightly more descriptive, vivid, or informal tone than 'burned'.
Frequency
In UK corpora, 'burnt' is ~3x more frequent than 'burned'. In US corpora, 'burned' is ~5x more frequent than 'burnt'.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Subject + burnt + Object (transitive)Subject + burnt (intransitive)Subject + be/get + burnt (passive/adjectival)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “burnt to a crisp”
- “get your fingers burnt”
- “burnt out”
- “burnt offering”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in 'burnt out' (employee exhaustion) or insurance contexts.
Academic
Used in chemistry, environmental science, and history (e.g., 'burnt clay artifacts').
Everyday
Common for cooking accidents, sunburn, and describing fire damage.
Technical
In art ('burnt sienna'), cooking ('burnt sugar'), and fire investigation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She burnt the old letters.
- The fire burnt for hours.
- He has burnt his hand on the stove.
American English
- She burned the old letters. (Though 'burnt' possible)
- The fire burned for hours.
- He has burned his hand on the stove.
adverb
British English
- The log was burnt black.
- The meat was burnt crisp.
American English
- The log was burned black. (Though 'burnt' possible)
- The meat was burnt to a crisp.
adjective
British English
- The burnt toast filled the kitchen with smoke.
- He offered a burnt sacrifice.
- She prefers the colour burnt orange.
American English
- The burnt toast filled the kitchen with smoke.
- He offered a burnt offering.
- She prefers the color burnt orange.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The toast is burnt.
- I burnt my finger.
- Don't touch the burnt wood.
- The entire cake was burnt because I forgot the oven.
- He got badly burnt at the beach yesterday.
- You could smell burnt rubber after the car stopped suddenly.
- Archaeologists found burnt remains of grain at the site.
- After years of overwork, she felt completely burnt out.
- The artist mixed burnt sienna with yellow to create a warm hue.
- The policy left him politically burnt, with few allies remaining.
- Burnt ochre pigments were commonly used in Renaissance frescoes.
- The investor got his fingers burnt in the speculative market crash.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the 'T' in 'burnt' as a charred, blackened piece of toast.
Conceptual Metaphor
DESTRUCTION IS BURNING (e.g., 'burnt bridges', 'burnt out'), INTENSE EXPERIENCE IS HEAT (e.g., 'burnt by love').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'сожжённый' for all contexts; 'burnt' can be milder (e.g., 'burnt toast' = 'подгоревший тост').
- Don't confuse with 'burned' which has different US/UK distribution.
- Russian 'обжечься' often translates as 'get burnt' (reflexive).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'burnt' as present tense (e.g., 'It burnts' ❌).
- Overusing 'burnt' in US formal writing where 'burned' is expected.
- Confusing 'burnt' (fire) with 'bruised' (impact injury).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'burnt' MOST likely to be used in formal American English?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are correct. 'Burnt' is standard in UK English. In US English, 'burned' is more common for the verb, but 'burnt' is frequently used as an adjective, especially in compounds like 'burnt orange'.
Yes, commonly. It describes something that has been affected by fire or excessive heat (e.g., 'burnt toast', 'burnt skin').
No difference in meaning (exhausted or destroyed by fire). 'Burnt out' is more common in UK English; 'burned out' is more common in US English, though both forms appear in both varieties.
Yes, it's an alternative past tense and past participle of the irregular verb 'burn'. The regular alternative is 'burned'.