What does ironed mean?
“Ironed” is the past tense and past participle of “iron,” meaning to smooth or press fabric with a heated iron. It is also used as an adjective for something that has been smoothed in this way, as in “a well-ironed jacket.” In figurative expressions, especially “ironed out,” it means that difficulties, disputes, or complications have been resolved or made smooth. The verb is pronounced /ˈaɪərnd/, reflecting the additional syllable needed after the root “iron,” while the adjective is generally pronounced /ˈaɪənd/. The word is useful because it connects an ordinary household activity with the broader idea of removing obstacles and bringing order or clarity to a situation.
To smooth fabric by pressing it with a heated iron; figuratively, to resolve or remove difficulties or conflicts.
"They ironed the uniforms and ironed out the remaining scheduling problems."
In its usual physical sense, the verb is transitive. The figurative expression is commonly “iron out” something, especially a disagreement or complication.
Having been smoothed with an iron; in the phrase “ironed out,” made clear, smooth, or settled.
"The performer stepped onto the stage in a crisp, ironed shirt."
The adjective is often used predicatively, as in “the shirt is ironed,” or attributively in phrases such as “a well-ironed shirt.”
An iron does more than press shirts: “ironing out” a dispute means smoothing away every wrinkle of disagreement.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ironed come from?
The word derives from “iron,” the hand-held appliance used for pressing fabric, which takes its name from the metal of the same name. Adding the suffix “-ed” produces the past form and participle “ironed.” The verb was later extended figuratively to the smoothing or resolution of difficulties, as in the now-established expression “iron out.”
Related word forms
How ironed is actually used
The form has two pronunciations because the verb normally ends in -ed, which may be pronounced /t/, /d/, or /ɪd/, while the adjective “ironed” is pronounced /ˈaɪənd/. The expression “ironed out” is idiomatic and can describe resolving practical difficulties as well as settling disagreements.