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
The number of politically motivated attacks and plots against government agents in just the past five years is three times higher than those in the previous 25 years combined, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
—
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Columbus is the 35th-biggest media market in the U.S., but its soccer team punches well above its weight in MLS’ financial rankings, with ticketing revenue and partnership revenue that both rank in the top quartile of MLS clubs during the past four years.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025
That seems not to be happening: Popularity of nearly every EV company has slid in the past three months, Slingshot’s survey found.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 1 July 2025
Throughout the past two months, the jury heard from 34 prosecution witnesses.
—Lauryn Overhultz , Tracy Wright , Maria Paronich , Brendan McDonald, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the past
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Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Columbus is the 35th-biggest media market in the U.S., but its soccer team punches well above its weight in MLS’ financial rankings, with ticketing revenue and partnership revenue that both rank in the top quartile of MLS clubs during the past four years.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025
That seems not to be happening: Popularity of nearly every EV company has slid in the past three months, Slingshot’s survey found.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 1 July 2025
Throughout the past two months, the jury heard from 34 prosecution witnesses.
—Lauryn Overhultz , Tracy Wright , Maria Paronich , Brendan McDonald, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for the past
Cite this Entry
“The past.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20past. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
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