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
More than 500 shoppers have purchased it just in the past month.
—
Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 18 May 2024
For the past several months, Poland has been torn by political storms that send ripples across the conservative and liberal media here in America.
—Wiktor Babinski, National Review, 18 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for the past 
Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 18 May 2024
For the past several months, Poland has been torn by political storms that send ripples across the conservative and liberal media here in America.
—Wiktor Babinski, National Review, 18 May 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 29 May. 2024.
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