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

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

Students walk past paintings of historical scenes that include Betsy Ross sewing an American flag and down hallways lined with portraits of the Founding Fathers. —Lauren Lumpkin, Washington Post, 20 Apr. 2026

Known for drawing massive crowds to the small Georgia beach town, Orange Crush has long stirred controversy among residents and law enforcement because of past violence, arrests and trash left behind in its wake. —Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026

Preposition

In his press conference on Monday, Rosenior pointed out that one video of Fernandez appearing to walk past him after being substituted against Manchester United was cut before the player turned around and hugged him and shook his hand. —Cerys Jones, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026

Don’t ignore it or joke past it. —Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2026

Noun

Spiegel himself was a twin; his sister was kept with female prisoners, and due to his past as a soldier, Mengele put him in charge of the children. —Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026

The property was once a 19th-century Catholic school and church campus, complete with a rectory and nunnery, and each room has a rotary phone and other touches of the not-so-distant past. —Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026

Adverb

The 6-3, 241-pounder has tremendous athleticism and can run past and through defenders with his amazing speed. —Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026

Against a potent Real Madrid attack, with Yanez on the right, Ortega through the middle and Alexis Ciria on the left, Coulibaly was brilliant and was only dribbled past once. —Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 20 Apr. 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