Meaning & use
reached
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“reached” is a form of “reach”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
Arrived at a place, level, or point after traveling or making an effort.
Grammar: Can be used with an object (e.g., reached the station) or without (e.g., finally reached).
Patterns
- reach a place
- reach a conclusion
- reach someone
We reached the summit just before sunset.
She reached the office after a long commute.
The train reached its destination on time.
verbtransitive or intransitive
Stretched out a hand or arm to touch or take something.
Grammar: Often used with 'for' to show what is being grasped: reached for the book.
Patterns
- reach for something
- reach out
- reach into
He reached for the remote but couldn't find it.
She reached into her bag and pulled out a pen.
The child reached up to grab the cookie.
verbtransitive
Made contact with someone by phone, email, or other means.
Grammar: Takes an object: reached the manager; often used in business contexts.
Patterns
- reach someone by phone
- reach an agreement
- reach out to someone
I tried to reach you yesterday but your line was busy.
We reached an agreement after hours of negotiation.
Please reach out to customer support for help.
Word forms
| third person singular | reaches |
|---|---|
| past tense | reached |
| past participle | reached |
| -ing form | reaching |
Common combinations
- reach a conclusion
- After reviewing the data, we reached a conclusion.
- reach out to someone
- He decided to reach out to his old friend.
- reach for the stars
- She always encouraged her students to reach for the stars.
- reach an agreement
- The two sides finally reached an agreement.
- out of reach
- Keep dangerous items out of reach of children.
Synonyms and how they differ
- arrive
- Focuses on the moment of getting to a place; 'reach' can also mean achieving a goal.
- attain
- More formal and often used for goals or levels; 'reach' is more general.
- contact
- Used for communication; 'reach' is slightly more informal and can imply effort.
Opposites
Word family
- reachable adjective
- Able to be reached or contacted.
- reaching noun
- The act of reaching (rare).
Commonly confused: reached or reached?
reached vs reached
Past tense of 'reach'; do not confuse with 'recked' (archaic) or 'wreaked'.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The correct preposition after 'reach' when trying to touch something is 'for'. 'Reached to' is not standard; 'reached at' and 'reached on' are incorrect in this context.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reached”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.