time was (when)

idiom

old-fashioned
used to say that something was true in the past and usually to express annoyance that it is no longer true
Time was, you could buy a candy bar for a nickel.
Time was when people respected their elders.

Examples of time was (when) in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Answering the 100-year-old business’ emails at the time was Mia S. McLeod. State Senator Mia S. McLeod. Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025 From ordering to delivery time was about five days. Melissa Maria, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2025 The broader idea at the time was this: Schools that kept a relentless eye on sending more students to and through college could help lift the next generation of New Orleanians out of poverty. Sarah Carr, NPR, 27 Aug. 2025 However, the partisan gap at the time was 35 points because only 36 percent of Democrats were satisfied with the country's direction at the time. Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025 Musk at the time was spearheading President Donald Trump’s controversial Department of Government Efficiency, and protests were occurring across the country at Tesla dealerships. Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 26 Aug. 2025 My boyfriend at the time was working for Jack Nicholson. Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2025 The payload this time was Metop-SGA1, an 8,900-pound (4,040-kilogram) weather satellite that will be operated by the international group EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites). Mike Wall, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2025 These occasions were wonderful, and everyone always seemed to have a great time, however, planning, preparing and hosting all of these events with both of us working full time was extremely stressful and costly. R Eric Thomas, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Time was (when).” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/time%20was%20%28when%29. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

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