the past
noun
1
: an earlier time : the time before the present
happy memories of the past
In the past, there was a company luncheon every month.
2
grammar
: a verb tense that is used to refer to the past : the past tense
The past of "walk" is "walked."
Examples of the past in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The interviews were conducted between 2019 and 2024 in northeast Nigeria, with the majority undertaken in the past year.
—
Stephanie Busari, CNN, 10 June 2024
The 84th Peabody Awards kicked off at the Beverly Wilshire, honoring programs that have shed a light on social and political issues in the past year, in addition to favorites like The Bear, Reservation Dogs and Bluey.
—Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 10 June 2024
For the past three years, Mitchell has staffed a booth at the festival and thinks the event is one of the most important for Black entrepreneurs in the metro looking to expand their clientele and make connections.
—J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2024
Oxfam estimates that the 127-meter (416-foot) vessel has emitted 7,000 tons of carbon dioxide over the past year, an amount equal to the annual emissions of 445 average Americans.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune Europe, 9 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the past 
Stephanie Busari, CNN, 10 June 2024
The 84th Peabody Awards kicked off at the Beverly Wilshire, honoring programs that have shed a light on social and political issues in the past year, in addition to favorites like The Bear, Reservation Dogs and Bluey.
—Kate Hogan, Peoplemag, 10 June 2024
For the past three years, Mitchell has staffed a booth at the festival and thinks the event is one of the most important for Black entrepreneurs in the metro looking to expand their clientele and make connections.
—J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2024
Oxfam estimates that the 127-meter (416-foot) vessel has emitted 7,000 tons of carbon dioxide over the past year, an amount equal to the annual emissions of 445 average Americans.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune Europe, 9 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the past
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the past.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near the past
Cite this Entry
“The past.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20past. Accessed 16 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share