The correct spelling is “meant”, with no apostrophe. Meant is the past tense and past participle of the verb mean. “Mean’t” is not a word in standard English. This guide explains why people add the apostrophe, how to use meant correctly, and how to say the negative (“I didn’t mean to”).
Written by Mitch Rankin, CEO and owner of EnglishForward.com since 2018. Last reviewed 10 October 2026.
Why people write “mean’t”
Many common negative contractions end in -n’t: can’t, don’t, isn’t, won’t. In these words, the apostrophe replaces letters in the word not:
| Full form | Contraction | Letters replaced |
|---|---|---|
| do not | don’t | o |
| is not | isn’t | o |
| cannot | can’t | no |
Meant ends in the sound “-nt”, and writers sometimes think it is mean + not. It is not. It is one word, and there is nothing missing, so there is no apostrophe.
The verb mean
| Present | Past simple | Past participle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | mean | meant | meant |
| Example | I mean what I say. | I meant to call you yesterday. | She has always meant well. |
Mean is an irregular verb. Instead of adding -ed, it changes its vowel sound (“meen” becomes “ment”) and adds -t. Meant rhymes with went and sent.
Common uses of meant
- Intended: I meant to call you. She didn’t mean any harm.
- Was supposed to: You were meant to arrive at nine.
- Had a particular meaning: What he said meant a lot to me.
- Was for someone: The gift was meant for you.
How to write the negative
You cannot make a negative by adding n’t to meant. Use an auxiliary verb (do, did, have, was) with not.
- Not correct: I mean’t to hurt your feelings.
- Correct: I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.
- Correct: I never meant to hurt your feelings.
- Correct: She does not mean any harm.
- Correct: You weren’t meant to see that.
Other irregular verbs that end in -t
Many verbs form the past tense in the same way, and none of them takes an apostrophe:
| Present | Past |
|---|---|
| mean | meant |
| send | sent |
| bend | bent |
| spend | spent |
| lend | lent |
| feel | felt |
| keep | kept |
| sleep | slept |
If you are unsure, ask whether you can add an apostrophe to sent or kept. You can’t, and the same applies to meant.
Other mistakes with meant
- “Ment”: a common typing error. The word has an a: m-e-a-n-t.
- “Mean” for “meant”: Yesterday I mean to call you should be Yesterday I meant to call you.
- Confusing mean the adjective: mean can also mean “unkind” (a mean remark). That is a different word, and its comparative is meaner.
Quick memory tricks
- Rhyme with went. Meant, went, sent and bent all end in -ent and have no apostrophe.
- The “not” test. Ask: “Am I trying to say mean not?” If you are, use didn’t mean or do not mean. If you mean the past tense of mean, write meant.
Quick quiz
Choose the correct sentence:
- (a) I mean’t to tell you. (b) I meant to tell you.
- (a) She never meant to be late. (b) She never mean’t to be late.
- (a) I didn’t mean to shout. (b) I didn’t meant to shout.
Answers: 1. b. 2. a. 3. a. (After “didn’t”, use the base form: mean.)
Frequently asked questions
Is “mean’t” ever correct? No. Standard dictionaries list only meant.
Is “meant” a contraction? No. It is a complete verb form.
Do I say “didn’t meant” or “didn’t mean”? Say “didn’t mean”. After didn’t, use the base form of the verb.
What is the past tense of “mean”? Meant.
A common mistake English learners make is adding an apostrophe to meant because they assume it is a contraction of “mean” and “not” or “mean” and “it.” In fact, “meant” is the correct spelling of the past tense and past participle of mean, and “mean’t” is incorrect. A useful tip is to remember that apostrophes show possession or omitted letters, not the formation of regular past-tense verbs such as meant.
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