LONG-AGO Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

long ago 1 of 2

noun

Definition of long ago

as in antiquity

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long-ago

2 of 2

adjective

as in bygone

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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 long ago

Noun

Yet the president often relies on theories that independent reviews long ago discredited. — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 16 July 2026 And to put into perspective how long ago that was, in 1973 hockey players didn't wear helmets, basketball had no three-point line. — Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 16 July 2026

Adjective

For those who haven’t heard the story (or who only vaguely recall it from a long-ago history class), Harpers Ferry played a pivotal role in sparking the American Civil War. — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2026 Berard is Swift’s long-ago connection to the University of Kansas. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for long ago

Recent Examples of Synonyms for long ago

Noun

The sculptures were among 34 Southeast Asian antiquities voluntarily relinquished by the collector in 2021 after investigators determined they had been looted.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Katerina Zacharia, a professor of classics at Loyola Marymount University whose work focuses on classical antiquity in visual and performance culture, was blunt about the armor featured in the film.

— Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of antiquity

Adjective

While the glass and steel of the outside remind visitors of a bygone era, the inside is a series of clean exhibition spaces, thanks to a 2011 renovation.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026
In his new book, Fast + Louche, the New York Times best-selling author and Vanity Fair special correspondent turns his former Interview magazine column into a gritty yet glamorous glimpse into a bygone era of celebrity.

— Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 7 July 2026

Definition of bygone

Noun

In his 2023 memoir, Spare, Prince Harry wrote about bringing Meghan to visit his mother’s gravesite for the first time in 2022.

— Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
In his memoir, Bob reflects on the connections between his childhood, the loss of his father, and his decades of service.

— William Jones, USA Today, 22 July 2026

Definition of memoir

Adjective

For example, in 2022, the FCC implemented a new rule requiring operators to dispose of dead satellites within five years, aimed at ensuring defunct spacecraft would not remain spaceborne garbage for decades to come.

— Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
That was a goalless draw for the men’s team against Petrolul Ploiesti in August 1995 being followed by a 1-0 loss in Romania to exit the now defunct Cup Winners’ Cup at the qualifying stage.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of defunct

Adjective

Inside the 400,000-year-old extinct volcanic cinder cone, which is about 40 miles northeast of Flagstaff, are artwork and a naked-eye observatory with tunnels and chambers aligned with solar, lunar and stellar events.

— Rebecca 'Becca' Dyer, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2026
And people here once spoke now extinct Norn, an Old Norse language.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026

Definition of extinct

Adjective

France trailed 4-0 before Mbappé sparked a comeback attempt, flicking the ball past goalkeeper Dean Henderson in the 48th minute before adding a second with a left-footed finish from about 14 yards in the 66th.

— Mark Hodge, NBC news, 20 July 2026
Considering past injuries, the Yankees have ordered more bubble wrap and a bland diet!

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026

Definition of past

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“Long ago.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/long%20ago. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of long ago

noun

adjective

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