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
During the past half dozen years, around ten universities and colleges have closed their classics departments or programs, with some folded into larger humanities units.
—
Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
But the Final Four run was six seasons ago, and in the past two years, UCLA made just one tournament appearance and got only as far as the second round.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Over the past year, assaults against ICE personnel have risen 8,000%, according to the DHS, and federal police have opted to hide their faces and identities while working in public.
—Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 8 Mar. 2026
That’s consistent with an overall contraction in the pool’s size during the past several decades.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the past
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Chang Che, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
But the Final Four run was six seasons ago, and in the past two years, UCLA made just one tournament appearance and got only as far as the second round.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Over the past year, assaults against ICE personnel have risen 8,000%, according to the DHS, and federal police have opted to hide their faces and identities while working in public.
—Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 8 Mar. 2026
That’s consistent with an overall contraction in the pool’s size during the past several decades.
—Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
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 11 Mar. 2026.
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