Boughten vs. Bought — Which is Correct Spelling?
Edited by Munazza Shafiq — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 18, 2024
Boughten is the incorrect spelling of bought. Bought refers to the past tense of buy, indicating a completed purchase.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Boughten or Bought
How to spell Bought?
Boughten
Incorrect Spelling
Bought
Correct Spelling
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Recall that traditional past tense forms in English typically include -ed or a vowel change, not -en.
Remember that bought is simply the past tense of buy, with no extra letters added like in boughten.
Consider the consistency in simple past tense verbs not ending with "-en" such as caught, taught, and bought.
Use the rhyme "If you've sought, then you've bought" to link correct spelling with another verb with similar construction.
Associate bought with its base verb buy; keeping the spelling simpler helps retain the connection between the forms.
ADVERTISEMENT
How Do You Spell Bought Correctly?
Incorrect: I haven't boughten any new shoes this season.
Correct: I haven't bought any new shoes this season.
Incorrect: She's never boughten a car by herself before.
Correct: She's never bought a car by herself before.
Bought Definitions
Gained or secured as if by a purchase: Often used metaphorically.
She bought some time with her elaborate excuses.
Obtained through a financial transaction: Secured possession or rights to use through payment.
He bought the rights to the book.
Past participle of buy: Used for forming perfect tenses.
We have bought a new house recently.
Accepted the truth or validity of something in exchange for something metaphorical.
I'm not sure I've bought his explanation for what happened.
Bought is a 1931 American Pre-Code drama film produced and released by Warner Bros. and directed by Archie Mayo.
Past tense and past participle of buy. See Note at boughten.
Simple past tense and past participle of buy.
She bought an expensive bag last week.
People have bought gas masks.
Our products can be bought at your local store.
(obsolete) A bend; flexure; curve; a hollow angle.
(obsolete) A bend or hollow in a human or animal body.
(obsolete) A curve or bend in a river, mountain chain, or other geographical feature.
(obsolete) The part of a sling that contains the stone.
(obsolete) A fold, bend, or coil in a tail, snake's body etc.
A flexure; a bend; a twist; a turn; a coil, as in a rope; as the boughts of a serpent.
The boughts of the fore legs.
The part of a sling that contains the stone.
Purchased; bribed.
Past tense of buy: Acquired in exchange for payment.
She bought a new dress for the party.
Bought Meaning in a Sentence
I think he bought the last piece of cake.
She bought her mother a lovely birthday gift.
They have bought a new apartment in the city.
Yesterday, she bought a new umbrella.
He had bought all the necessary supplies by noon.
She had bought enough food for the entire week.
The company bought a new property for its headquarters.
We bought our first car together.
Last year, my family bought a holiday home by the beach.
She bought some flowers to brighten up the room.
They bought their children bikes for Christmas.
She bought a novel from her favorite author.
They bought tickets for the concert next month.
They bought a painting at the art auction.
They bought a gift for their friend's wedding.
They bought some ice cream to cool off in the heat.
He bought his dog a new collar.
He bought a ring to propose to his girlfriend.
He bought some groceries on the way home.
She bought a ticket to the museum.
She bought a map to navigate the city.
He always bought his books from that store.
She bought a new coat during the winter sale.
I bought a new laptop for college.
He bought a new pair of running shoes.
Bought Idioms & Phrases
Bought out
Purchased someone's share in a business.
He was bought out of the company by his partners.
Bought time
Delayed an event or decision.
By negotiating, she bought time to come up with a better solution.
Bought up
Purchased all available items or stocks.
The investor bought up all the shares of the small tech company.
Bought the idea
Convinced of a concept or plan.
After the presentation, everyone bought the idea.
Bought to the table
Contributed something valuable or useful.
She bought her extensive experience to the table during the discussions.
Bought into
Accepted an idea or proposal.
They finally bought into the plan after seeing the benefits.
Bought the bullet
Faced a difficult situation with courage.
He finally bought the bullet and asked for a raise.
Bought off
Paid someone to secure their cooperation or silence.
He bought off the witnesses to ensure they wouldn't testify.
Not bought for a song
Not acquired cheaply.
That antique vase was not bought for a song; it cost a fortune.
Bought the farm
Died, usually in an accident.
When the pilot didn't return, they said he might have bought the farm.
Bought and paid for
Fully owned, often used to imply corruption or undue influence.
The politician was bought and paid for by the corporation.
Bought the picture
Understood the complete situation.
Once he saw the evidence, he bought the picture.
Bought a stake
Invested in a venture.
They bought a stake in the new startup.
Bought a clue
Gained an understanding or insight.
She hasn't bought a clue about what's really going on.
Bought someone's silence
Paid someone to keep a secret.
He bought someone's silence with a hefty sum.
Bought the lead
Took a controlling position or initiative.
In the meeting, she bought the lead and guided the discussion.
Bought peace
Achieved peace by making concessions or payments.
The king bought peace by agreeing to the demands.
Everything but/but not bought
Having many features or aspects, except for ownership.
The rental car had everything but was not bought.
Bought his words
Believed what someone said.
They bought his words without any doubt.
Bought the issue
Addressed or focused on a particular problem.
The committee bought the issue of safety to everyone's attention.
Common Curiosities
How do we divide bought into syllables?
Bought is divided as: bought.
How many syllables are in bought?
Bought has one syllable.
What is a stressed syllable in bought?
The entire word bought is stressed as it is a single-syllable word.
Why is it called bought?
Bought is the past tense of the verb "buy," which comes from the Old English "bycgan," meaning "to buy."
What is the verb form of bought?
Bought is the past and past participle form of the verb "buy."
What is the first form of bought?
The first form is "buy."
How is bought used in a sentence?
Bought is used to describe something that was purchased or obtained in the past.
What is the pronunciation of bought?
Bought is pronounced /bɔːt/.
Is bought an adverb?
No, bought is not an adverb.
What is the root word of bought?
The root word of bought is "buy."
Is bought a collective noun?
Bought is not a noun; it is a verb.
Is the bought term a metaphor?
The term bought can be used metaphorically in phrases like "bought the idea."
Which determiner is used with bought?
Determiners such as "the" or "my" can be used with bought, depending on context.
What is another term for bought?
Another term for bought is "purchased."
What is the opposite of bought?
The opposite of bought is "sold."
Is bought an abstract noun?
No, bought is not a noun; it is a verb.
Is the word bought is imperative?
No, bought is not used in the imperative mood; it is a past tense form.
Is the word “bought” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
Bought can serve as a direct object in sentences like "I have bought what you asked for."
Which vowel is used before bought?
Vowels like "a" or "the" can precede bought depending on the sentence, e.g., "I have bought a car."
What is the second form of bought?
The second form is "bought."
Is the word bought Gerund?
No, bought is not a gerund; it is the past participle form of buy.
Which preposition is used with bought?
Common prepositions used with bought include "for" and "from," e.g., "She bought the book for me."
Which conjunction is used with bought?
Conjunctions such as "and" or "but" can be used, e.g., "He bought milk and eggs."
Which article is used with bought?
The definite article "the" or the indefinite "a/an" can be used with bought, depending on the context.
What is the third form of bought?
The third form is also "bought."
Is bought a noun or adjective?
Bought is a verb.
Is bought a vowel or consonant?
The word bought starts with a consonant.
Is bought a countable noun?
Bought is not a noun; it is a verb.
What part of speech is bought?
Bought is a verb.
What is the singular form of bought?
The singular form is bought, as it does not change with number.
What is the plural form of bought?
The plural form is also bought, as it remains the same regardless of number.
Is bought a negative or positive word?
Bought is neutral; it is neither inherently negative nor positive.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Varios vs. Various
Next Comparison
Logicality vs. LogicAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Munazza Shafiq
