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

Shipping traffic through the strait remains well below pre-war levels, but the number of ships crossing the strait rose 27% in the past week, according to a CNN analysis. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026

On a night where he’d been booed for what happened in the past — a night that ended with a 6-4 loss as Logan Webb endured his shortest start of the year — Devers provided Red Sox fans a reason to boo for what was happening in the present. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026

In the past, Manny would have turned to drugs to take the weight off his shoulders, at least for a little while. — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

There have been joint practices during the past decade when the Eagles were the superior team. — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for the past

• aghast
• amassed
• biassed
• broadcast
• bypassed
• downcast
• forecast
• foremast
• harassed
• holdfast
• mainmast
• newscast