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
At least three scientists listed among the authors of the DOE rebuttal document have worked with the Nature Conservancy in the past.
—
Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025
Despite the budget-friendly price point, the sheets are a clear favorite among Amazon shoppers as more than 6,000 have snapped them up in the past month alone, and a whopping 71,000 have awarded them a perfect rating.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Despite education and training efforts — especially in Missouri where the total number of children 17 and under dying from fentanyl has significantly dropped in the past three years — the youngest are still becoming victims.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025
The curved design trend has delivered an abundance of playful pieces to homes over the past couple of years.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the past
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Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025
Despite the budget-friendly price point, the sheets are a clear favorite among Amazon shoppers as more than 6,000 have snapped them up in the past month alone, and a whopping 71,000 have awarded them a perfect rating.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025
Despite education and training efforts — especially in Missouri where the total number of children 17 and under dying from fentanyl has significantly dropped in the past three years — the youngest are still becoming victims.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025
The curved design trend has delivered an abundance of playful pieces to homes over the past couple of years.
—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 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 11 Sep. 2025.
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