gone: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
A1Neutral (Common in all registers, informal to formal)
Quick answer
What does “gone” mean?
Past participle of 'go', indicating movement away, departure, or the action of going in the past.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Past participle of 'go', indicating movement away, departure, or the action of going in the past.
No longer present, existing, or available; used up, dead, lost, or past; in a specified state (e.g., 'gone wrong').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. The main difference is in the construction 'have/has gone to' vs. 'have/has been to'. In British English, 'He's gone to London' strictly means he is there now or on his way. In American English, this distinction is also observed but may be less consistently maintained in casual speech.
Connotations
As an adjective, connotations (e.g., 'gone mad', 'gone bad') are identical. The colloquial interjection 'Gone!' (expressing astonishment) is more common in US English.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “gone” in a Sentence
[NP] have/has/had gone [AdvP/PP] (e.g., She had gone home).[NP] be gone (e.g., The milk is gone).[NP] have/has/had gone [AdjP] (e.g., The plan had gone awry).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gone” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She's gone to get the paper.
- They had already gone by the time we arrived.
American English
- He's gone to get the mail.
- They'd gone before the meeting started.
adverb
British English
- We walked gone three miles before resting. (dialectal/informal)
American English
- It's gone midnight already. (informal)
adjective
British English
- My keys are gone!
- I'm afraid that cheese looks a bit gone.
American English
- The money is gone.
- That milk smells gone.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'The opportunity has gone.' / 'All the budget is gone.'
Academic
'The traditional methods are long gone.'
Everyday
'Has the postman gone yet?' / 'Sorry, the cake's all gone.'
Technical
'The signal has gone.' (telecoms) / 'The reactant is gone.' (chemistry)
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gone”
- *I am gone to the shop. (Correct: I have gone/I went to the shop.)
- *The time is went. (Correct: The time has gone/is gone.)
- Confusing 'gone' (requires 'have') with 'been' (also requires 'have') in experiences vs. current absence.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Has gone to' suggests the person is at that place now or en route. 'Has been to' suggests the person visited the place and has now returned. 'He has gone to Paris' means he is in Paris. 'He has been to Paris' means he visited Paris at some point in his life.
Yes, when used as an adjective (e.g., 'The days are gone'), or in certain dialectal/informal adverbial uses (e.g., 'It's gone five o'clock'). As the main verb in perfect tenses, it requires an auxiliary.
Yes, but it has a different meaning from 'He has gone'. 'He is gone' describes his current state of absence (adjective). 'He has gone' describes the completed action of going (verb).
It means 'become' or 'turned', indicating a change of state. It is an informal but very common construction (e.g., 'The milk has gone sour').
Past participle of 'go', indicating movement away, departure, or the action of going in the past.
Gone is usually neutral (common in all registers, informal to formal) in register.
Gone: in British English it is pronounced /ɡɒn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡɔːn/ (also /ɡɑːn/ in cot-caught merged areas). Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “gone with the wind”
- “here today, gone tomorrow”
- “gone to pot”
- “gone for a burton (BrE)”
- “gone to the dogs”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a GONE sign on an empty shop. The letters G-O-N-E stand for 'GO' + 'No longer Existing'.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME/OPPORTUNITY/PRESENCE IS A MOVING ENTITY (e.g., 'My chance is gone'). DEPLETION IS DISAPPEARANCE (e.g., 'The money's gone').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'gone' used as an adjective?