once 1 of 3

adverb

ˈwən(t)s How to pronounce once (audio)
Definition of oncenext
as in formerly
at an earlier or previous time I once knew the quotation, but time has taken its toll on my brain cells

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

once

2 of 3

adjective

as in former
having been such at some previous time the once child star is now a lawyer in the entertainment industry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

once

3 of 3

conjunction

as in when
just at the moment that you should have stopped wrestling once you knew someone was getting hurt, not five minutes later

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 once
Adverb
The city’s once-popular shopping centers have been plagued with closures, sparking concern about public safety and homelessness. — Melody Xu, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026 The most frightening risk is AI creators losing control of their models, a once abstract possibility that may be inching closer to reality. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Joseph Duggar's arrest is the latest fall from grace for the once picture-perfect Duggar family. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026 The once summer home became a residential dwelling once more. — Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 5 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for once
Recent Examples of Synonyms for once
  1. formerly
  2. former
  3. old
  4. other
  5. erstwhile
  6. past
  7. sometime
  8. late
Adverb
  • Power Trip, the thrash-metal group formerly fronted by the late Riley Gale, have cemented their return with a new double single, their first music since Gale’s death in 2020.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Given the significant appreciation of the formerly moribund share price over the past year, about 500 employees now have more than $1 million apiece in equity, as the New York Post noted.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of formerly
Adjective
  • The company is run by CEO Huh Kyubum, a former venture capitalist with Union Investment Partners who focused on investing in Korean content.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Britain’s financial regulator has banned a former HSBC banker from the industry over a train-fare fraud that cost a railway operator £5,911, or about $7,800.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of former
Adjective
  • Waves battered a century-old wooden boardwalk on the Long Beach peninsula and forced homeowners to evacuate.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Related Stories Gadis, 20, has just been brought home as the fourth wife of 50-year-old Abi.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of old
Adjective
  • Stitt points out a photograph of Olney in a hallway near the bathroom, while recalling sharing wine with Lulu Peyraud, the beloved matriarch of the Domaine Tempier wine estate in Provence, among a collage of other French memories.
    — Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Sunday's attack occurred as the Saudis hosted a major international energy conference in Riyadh, with other high-profile events including an investment gathering on the horizon.
    — SAMY MAGDY, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of other
Adjective
  • These yachties aren’t as calloused as the erstwhile SURvers, so for the most part, the tour goes well.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The Project’s ranks now include about 80 fishermen manning 15 boats who also support the tagging and research of their erstwhile prey (their work has led to the recent world-first tagging of 10 tiger sharks in Indonesian waters).
    — Juliet Kinsman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of erstwhile
Adjective
  • Maud is then forced to reckon with her crimes, both present and past.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The late-forming storm has already disrupted offshore oil production and tourism, while its path threatens coastal communities still scarred by past hurricanes.
    — R.j. Rico, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of past
Adjective
  • The uncertain status of TPS has led to sometime conflicting actions by government agencies or employers.
    — Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Titled Becky and Miranda, the series will be a dark comedy from veteran YouTube creator Nolke and co-star her sometime-collaborator Nicole Power (Kim’s Convenience).
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of sometime
Adjective
  • Coalition adviser Claude Ibalanky said at a news conference late Monday at Kabila's residence in the eastern city of Goma that the FRN's mission is to restore the pillars of a functioning republic.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Bay Area rapper’s latest record boasts vivid scenes and careful character studies, backed by live instrumentation and occasionally staid samples.
    — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of late

Phrases Containing once

Browse Nearby Words

onanistic
once
once in a blue moon
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Cite this Entry

“Once.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/once. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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