Definition, synonyms and related words
simple past tense and past participle of mean
"I meant to call you yesterday, but I forgot."
In plain English: Meant is the past tense of mean, used when you intended something or tried to do it.
"I meant to call you yesterday but I forgot."
Usage: Use "meant" to describe an action that happened in the past or to express what something signifies. It functions as the simple past tense or past participle of "mean," such as saying "I meant to call you" or "This sign meant danger."
The word meant comes from the Old English verb meaning "to think" or "intend," which evolved through Middle English into its current form as the past tense of mean. It entered modern usage simply by adding the standard past tense suffix to the base word.