past

1 of 4

adjective

ˈpast 

1

a

: ago

12 years past

started working on this project 10 years past

b

: just gone or elapsed

for the past few months

I spoke with him this past weekend.

2

: having existed or taken place in a period before the present : bygone

In past winters, we have had much more snow.

3

: of, relating to, or constituting a verb tense that is expressive of elapsed time and that in English is usually formed by internal vowel change (as in sang) or by the addition of a suffix (as in laughed)

4

: having served as a specified officer in an organization

past president

past champions

past

2 of 4

preposition

1

a

: beyond the age for or of

past playing with dolls

b

: after

half past two

2

a

: at the farther side of : beyond

b

: in a course or direction going close to and then beyond

drove past the house

3

obsolete : more than

4

: beyond the capacity, range, or sphere of

past belief

past

3 of 4

noun

1

a

: time gone by

b

: something that happened or was done in the past

regret the past

2

a

: the past tense of a language

b

: a verb form in the past tense

3

: a past life, history, or course of action

especially : one that is kept secret

pastless

ˈpas(t)-ləs 

adjective

see also:

blast from the past

past

4 of 4

adverb

: so as to reach and go beyond a point near at hand

drove past

Synonyms of past

Adjective

• former
• old
• other
• erstwhile
• late

Preposition

• over
• beyond

Noun

• history
• yesterday

Examples of past in a Sentence

Adjective

She was hired based on her past experience in sales.

a past editor of the newspaper

Preposition

The office is two blocks past the intersection.

Turn left just past the stairs.

We drove past the house.

I must have walked right past her.

He looked past me to the next customer.

Noun

Past, present, and future are all linked together.

The past of “walk” is “walked.”

Adverb

Several weeks went past before we heard from her.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The fastest man ever to run at the NFL Combine had zero deep receptions this year — and only three in his past 20 games since catching two touchdowns in the Super Bowl. — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026

Burks got past cornerback Sauce Gardner and found space before hauling in the deep ball. — ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026

Preposition

Murphy may be the anti-movie star compared with the larger-than-life personas of Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Jason Statham, Sacha Baron Cohen and Jude Law, but Wallis has shown a natural ability to get past each of their defenses. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026

The Tigers have won three straight since their opening-night loss at LSU, rallying past North Carolina and then winning at California last week in the program’s first cross-country trip for a league game. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Noun

The boomer’s reckoning Voeste grew up in Dortmund, the coal-and-steel city whose fate has long illustrated the dangers of clinging to an industrial past after its economics have changed. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026

Both companies boast century-old studios, beloved media brands and a recent past that has included several fraught mergers. — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Adverb

Many of Slam Frank’s reference points belong to a recent, but given the accelerated feeling of discourse in the present moment, already distant past. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026

The crews gave up hours later after the shark repeatedly swam past or dived to avoid the boats, remaining inside the canal. — ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Preposition, Noun, and Adverb

Middle English, from past participle of passen to pass

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Preposition

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1799, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing past

• all in the past
• (a) quarter past
• a thing of the past
• beyond/past redemption
• blast from the past
• checkered past
• half past
• in times past
• I wouldn't put it past (someone)
• leave the past behind
• live in the past
• march-past
• past bearing
• past due
• past it
• past master
• past one's prime
• past participle
• past perfect
• past tense
• past the hour
• relic of the past
• run past
• the dim and distant past
• the past
• the past perfect
• this past
• tick away/by/past
• whistle past the graveyard

Rhymes for past

• bast
• blast
• cast
• caste
• classed
• clast
• fast
• gassed
• gast
• glassed
• grassed
• hast

Kids Definition

past

1 of 4 adjective

ˈpast 

1

a

: ago

10 years past

b

: just gone by

for the past few months

2

: having existed or taken place in a period before the present

past customs

3

: of, relating to, or being a verb tense that in English is usually formed by internal vowel change (as in sang) or by the addition of a suffix (as in laughed) and that expresses time gone by

4

: no longer serving

a past president

past

2 of 4 preposition

1

: beyond entry 2 sense 1

past 50 years old

half past ten

2

: in a course by and then beyond

the road goes past the house

past

3 of 4 noun

1

: a former time or event

2

a

: past tense

b

: a verb form in the past tense

3

: a past life or history

especially : a past life that is secret or questionable

past

4 of 4 adverb

: so as to pass by

a deer ran past