BYGONE Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

bygone 1 of 2

adjective

ˈbī-ˌgȯn

Definition of bygone

as in extinct

no longer existing elderly people reminiscing about bygone fashions

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

bygone

2 of 2

noun

as in past

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of bygone

Adjective

There’s no harm in holding on to old photos and other mementos from your bygone days. — Barton Goldsmith, AJC.com, 23 Sep. 2026 Like much else in Guatemala, the colossal, mint-green presidential palace where Arévalo sat down with me is a holdover from a bygone era of authoritarianism. — Will Freeman, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026

Noun

Ornate doors, colonnades, and the lavish interiors are reminders of bygone times when the island flourished in the early 19th century, and fortunes were made from shipbuilding and international commerce, assured by an unrivaled merchant fleet. — Josh Hickey, Air Mail, 20 June 2026 Yet recent years have seen the revival of BBMT, known for cabaret-style shows whose whimsical bygone aesthetic is drawn from vaudeville and carnival midways. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bygone

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bygone

Adjective

Millet’s 2022 novel Dinosaurs also reflects her fascination with long extinct creatures.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026
Now, scientists have identified the extinct crocodile species that lived millions of years before the Egyptians built the structures.

— Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of extinct

Noun

From past to present On Friday, the event began with a procession symbolizing the ways the historic congregation has continued a multigenerational fight for education, faith and freedom.

— Nancy Jiang, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Although a horrifying sea creature sits at the center of the show, this story is about a man desperate to cling to a decaying past, a grieving family and how greed can create monsters.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of past

Adjective

During the renovation, a grenade from the Spanish Civil War was unearthed—fortunately defunct.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Herman, a former professor in UCLA’s painting and drawing department and co-founder of the now-defunct Black Dragon Society gallery in Chinatown, lives with the work of his former students and friends crammed throughout his home.

— Marissa Gluck, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of defunct

Noun

Fights, while reduced from yesteryear’s prospect games, still occur.

— Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
The fifth annual Vintage Car Show in downtown Highland Park on Saturday featured more than 200 vehicles from yesteryear as well as several electric vehicles to showcase what the future may have in store.

— Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of yesteryear

Noun

Latin America is swinging rightward again, electing presidents who promise to channel the strongmen of yore and rule the region through might, not right.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
Tier 9 My favorite tier of yore was hopelessly thinned out by A) the quality at the top of his draft and B) NIL money luring some fake prospects back to the college ranks.

— John Hollinger, New York Times, 20 June 2026

Definition of yore

Browse Nearby Words

by far

bygone

bygones

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“Bygone.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bygone. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of bygone

adjective

noun

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