showed

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "showed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it as the past tense of "show", when an action is completed in the past. Example: She showed me her new car.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Among the last set of polls, three showed the main parties level-pegging, three had the Conservatives in front by a single point and one gave Labour a two-point advantage.

The Guardian

After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair.

The Guardian

The driver showed immense courage under very difficult circumstances".

The Guardian

Eleven-year-old Haley Joel Osment's nomination for The Sixth Sense showed that the academy's weakness for child actors is alive and kicking, though he is far from the youngest ever.

The Guardian - Film

These costs aren't trivial: a 2001 study showed that the cost of switching a loan came to about a third of the loan's annual interest rate.

The Economist

But the conflict showed the limits of social networks when you have two antagonistic societies at war with each other.

The Guardian - Opinion

Some of them will receive far more than the average; data for 2013 showed that the most senior executives in London received an average of £3m.

The Guardian - Business

The US satellite photos showed Russian troops at bases 50 miles from the border.

The Guardian

Her Sydney triumph showed the benefit of her fitness work and if she gets deep into the tournament, no one will want to see Kvitova on the other side of the net.

The Guardian - Sport

Costa UK's accounts for last year showed similar sales, but a tax charge of £15m.

The Guardian - Business

The DUP, UUP, Traditional Unionist Voice, the Ulster Volunteer Force-aligned Progressive Unionist party and the Ulster Defence Association-linked Ulster Political Research Group said it showed that "the commission members place no value on a relationship with unionism and have treated our advice with contempt".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To enhance clarity, follow "showed" with a specific detail or explanation of what was demonstrated.

Common error

Avoid using "showed" with vague subjects like "it" or "this" without clearly specifying what is doing the showing. For example, instead of "This showed the problem", specify "The analysis showed the problem".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "showed" is as a verb in the simple past tense. It indicates that an action of showing, demonstrating, or revealing occurred at a specific time in the past. As Ludwig AI confirms, this form is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Sport

15%

Business

13%

Less common in

Opinion

5%

Lifestyle

3%

Music

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "showed", as confirmed by Ludwig AI, functions as the simple past tense of "show", indicating a completed action of displaying or demonstrating something in the past. Its grammatical correctness and widespread usage across diverse contexts—especially in "news & media", "sports", and "business"—underscore its versatility. While alternatives like ""demonstrated"" or "indicated" may be appropriate in specific contexts, "showed" remains a reliable and common choice. When using "showed", ensure the subject is clear to avoid ambiguity. The frequent usage of this term and the absence of common errors associated with its usage makes "showed" an excellent option.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

demonstrated

Emphasizes a clear and convincing display of something.

indicated

Suggests pointing out or showing something indirectly.

revealed

Highlights the act of making something known or visible that was previously hidden.

displayed

Focuses on visual presentation or exhibition.

exhibited

Similar to displayed, but often used in more formal contexts.

illustrated

Implies clarifying something with examples or visual aids.

proved

Highlights the establishment of something as true or factual.

presented

Focuses on the act of formally offering or displaying something.

expressed

Emphasizes conveying a feeling or thought.

reflected

Suggests mirroring or indicating something indirectly, like a consequence or result.

FAQs

How to use "showed" in a sentence?

Use "showed" as the past tense of the verb "show" to indicate that something was displayed, demonstrated, or revealed in the past. For example, "The experiment "demonstrated" a clear result".

What can I say instead of "showed"?

You can use alternatives like ""demonstrated"", "indicated", or "revealed" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "showed" or "shown"?

"Showed" is the simple past tense form of "show", while "shown" is the past participle. Use "showed" for simple past tense actions (e.g., "She showed the results"), and "shown" with auxiliary verbs like "have" or "be" (e.g., "The results have been shown").

What's the difference between "showed" and "indicated"?

"Showed" generally implies a direct display or demonstration, while "indicated" suggests pointing out something indirectly or subtly. The choice depends on the nuance you want to convey.