at one time

idiom

: during one period of time in the past
At one time there was only one grocery store in town.

Examples of at one time in a Sentence

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Redford had, at one time, wanted to start his film festival in Colorado before heading to Utah. Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2026 When looked at microscopically, there were patterns that suggested the possibility of life on Mars at one time. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026 Ringwald’s presence reminds us of the kind of vibrant and honest John Hughes comedies that at one time defined teen movies. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026 So many of these kids come from poverty and may have been happy with chump change at one time. Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for at one time

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“At one time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20one%20time. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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