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"balded", as in the past tense of the verb to bald, is apparently a word. But when, if ever, would I use this?
If a person is losing their hair, they are balding. If they have already lost it, they either are bald or have gone bald -- but they are not balded.
If I'm describing a hairless head, it's a bald head, while if there is some hair left, it's conceivably if somewhat awkwardly a balding head. But a balded head? Nope.
What, if anything, am I missing?
Consider:
I note that he has balded in a curious way, the hair loss concentrated at the center of his head so that the triangle of his freckled, pink scalp is fringed by tufts of rust-colored hair, threaded with gray.
(https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/reunion/)
This means the person has become bald in an unusual manner.
to bald:
III. intransitive verb (-ed/-ing/-s) : to become bald
(Webster's Unabridged)
Interestingly enough, the verb can also be used transitively on occasion:
Like someone who goes bald early and thus appears to stay the same age for decades, Mr. Albee has pulled off the neat trick of remaining an enfant terrible long after his terrible infancy balded him emotionally.
