sinned

Sinned is the past tense and past participle of the verb sin. It denotes the completion of an act that is considered morally wrong or transgresses a rule, whether religious, ethical, or social. In religious contexts, to sin is to violate divine law or a sacred order; saying someone "sinned" implies that the act occurred in the past and may carry connotations of accountability, repentance, or the need for forgiveness. In secular usage, the word can describe any moral failing or wrongdoing, though it is more common in literary or formal registers.

Etymology and grammar: The noun sin comes from Old English synn. The verb to sin developed from that root, and the past tense is formed regularly with the -ed suffix, yielding sinned. The present tense forms are sin (present) and sins (third-person singular), with sinning as the present participle. The phrase sinned against is used when someone commits an act that harms another person or their rights.

Usage and nuance: In religious texts, sinned actions are often contrasted with repentance, forgiveness, and atonement. In modern writing, sinned can convey moral gravity or historical perspective, but it can also carry a ceremonial or earnest tone. The term highlights the moral dimension of actions and their consequence within a framework of judgment or mercy. See also sin, sinful, forgiveness, transgression.