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
Letting Russia keep Crimea is something Trump has suggested in the past.
—
Zac Anderson, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
Kuang, who publishes under the name R. F. Kuang, has worked in an unpredictable range of styles and genres during the past ten years.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
Here is some historical data regarding the past post-earnings performance of Home Depot stock in comparison with the stock performance of peers that reported earnings just prior to Home Depot.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Perri did wear No 12, which is vacant, at Botafogo in the past.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the past
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Zac Anderson, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025
Kuang, who publishes under the name R. F. Kuang, has worked in an unpredictable range of styles and genres during the past ten years.
—Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
Here is some historical data regarding the past post-earnings performance of Home Depot stock in comparison with the stock performance of peers that reported earnings just prior to Home Depot.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Perri did wear No 12, which is vacant, at Botafogo in the past.
—The Athletic Uk Staff, New York Times, 18 Aug. 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 21 Aug. 2025.
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