Leaped

Leaped is the past tense and past participle of the verb leap, meaning to spring or jump a distance in a single motion. It is one of two modern English past tense forms of leap, the other being leapt. Both forms are widely understood and accepted, but their use varies by dialect and context.

Usage differs by region: leaped is generally more common in American English for both simple past and past participle constructions, while leapt is more common in British English and often preferred in more formal or literary writing. In contemporary usage, either form can appear in standard writing, with the choice driven by style guidelines or personal preference.

Examples illustrate typical usage: a sentence in the simple past, “The cat leaped over the fence,” is equally correct with “The cat leapt over the fence”. For perfect tenses, one might say, “She has leaped to the front of the line,” or “She has leapt to the front of the line” depending on the chosen variant. The participle forms are used with auxiliary verbs, as in “They had leaped before the crowd realized.” Some writers maintain leapt for a more formal tone, while others favor leaped for its regular, predictable spelling.

Etymology generally traces leap to its Germanic roots, with the past tense evolving into two parallel forms in English. The distinction today is mainly a matter of regional convention and register, rather than a difference in meaning. See also leap, jump, and spring for related verbs and concepts.