growed: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowNon-standard, informal, dialectal
Quick answer
What does “growed” mean?
Past tense or past participle of 'grow', formed by analogy with regular verbs.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Past tense or past participle of 'grow', formed by analogy with regular verbs.
Used informally or in dialects to indicate someone or something has increased in size, maturity, or complexity.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
It is found in regional dialects in both countries but is more commonly associated with Southern US dialects in modern perception.
Connotations
In both contexts, it connotes informality, lack of education, or rustic charm. In literature or media, it can be used for characterisation.
Frequency
Extremely rare in edited, formal writing. Occurs in transcribed speech, folk songs, and literary dialogue to evoke a particular setting or character.
Grammar
How to Use “growed” in a Sentence
Subject + growed + (Adjective/Noun Phrase)Subject + growed + upVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “growed” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- 'E said 'is taters 'ad growed well that summer.
- 'Er 'air 'ad growed right down 'er back.
American English
- That corn sure has growed tall since last week.
- He ain't a boy no more; he's all growed up.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial use.
American English
- No standard adverbial use.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjectival use.
American English
- No standard adjectival use.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used. Would be considered highly unprofessional.
Academic
Not used. The standard forms 'grew' or 'grown' are mandatory.
Everyday
Used only in very casual, often regional, spoken contexts among familiars.
Technical
Not used in any technical register.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “growed”
- Using 'growed' in writing or formal speech instead of 'grew' (past simple) or 'grown' (past participle).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is considered non-standard. The correct past tense of 'grow' is 'grew', and the past participle is 'grown'.
It's a common overgeneralisation, especially by children learning language or in dialects where regular verb patterns are extended to irregular verbs.
Only if you are deliberately mimicking very informal dialect speech, writing dialogue for a character, or quoting someone. Avoid it in all standard communication.
The phrase 'all growed up' is a non-standard variant of 'all grown up', often used for stylistic or character effect.
Past tense or past participle of 'grow', formed by analogy with regular verbs.
Growed is usually non-standard, informal, dialectal in register.
Growed: in British English it is pronounced /ɡrəʊd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡroʊd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “All growed up (non-standard for 'all grown up')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a child saying, 'I growed a plant!' It sounds 'wrong' because plants are 'grown' – the correct form is 'grew' for past tense.
Conceptual Metaphor
UP IS MORE / CHANGE IS MOVEMENT (e.g., 'He growed up big and strong').
Practice
Quiz
In which context might 'growed' be intentionally used?