Meaning & use

have

verb·Everyday

Last updated

To possess, hold, or own something, or to experience or undergo an event or state.

See it in a sentence

They have a small house near the coast.

We had a wonderful time at the festival last night.

A note on using this word

Beyond meaning "to possess," have is one of English's core auxiliary verbs, used to form the perfect tenses, as in "I have finished."

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. verb

Used as an auxiliary verb with a past participle to form perfect tenses.

She has already left for the airport.

Make it your own

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