once upon a time
idiom
: at some time in the past
He was a famous actor once upon a time.
Note: Once upon a time is the traditional way to begin a fairy tale.
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess named Snow White.
Examples of once upon a time in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And its story begins once upon a time.
—
Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
But once upon a time, the two were close, as proven by the fact that Harry named his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton, in a witness statement filed as part of his lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 21 Jan. 2026
And while Schenn was a superb trade fit with the Leafs once upon a time, that was nearly three years ago.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Focus on simple traditions When children grow up, what resonates with them in adulthood is more than likely the memories and traditions that Christmas held for them once upon a time.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for once upon a time
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Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
But once upon a time, the two were close, as proven by the fact that Harry named his brother Prince William and sister-in-law Kate Middleton, in a witness statement filed as part of his lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 21 Jan. 2026
And while Schenn was a superb trade fit with the Leafs once upon a time, that was nearly three years ago.
—Jonas Siegel, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Focus on simple traditions When children grow up, what resonates with them in adulthood is more than likely the memories and traditions that Christmas held for them once upon a time.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for once upon a time
Cite this Entry
“Once upon a time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/once%20upon%20a%20time. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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