past 1 of 3

noun

Definition of pastnext
as in history
the events or experience of former times we spent a pleasant evening recalling the past together

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

past

2 of 3

adjective

ˈpast How to pronounce past (audio)
as in former
having been such at some previous time a past editor of the newspaper

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

past

3 of 3

preposition

1
as in over
on or to the farther side of I drive past the school every day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in after
subsequent to in time or order it's ten minutes past six o'clock

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 past
Noun
This is also where Victoria learns of Ted’s romantic past with Robin, setting up a rift that would never truly go away. — Erin Strecker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026 Three months before her death, Hayden Panettiere was publicly revisiting her past in an attempt to also look ahead. — Krystie Lee Yandoli, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2026
Adjective
It's gotten him into trouble as people have gone through some of his past statements. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 Bovino talked about the visit on his social media page Monday with a reference to past operations in Charlotte. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2026
Preposition
The crude Tehran can load on tankers probably doesn't make it past the blockade, Smith added. — Azhar Sukri, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026 If any of those symptoms persist past two weeks, stop waiting and schedule. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for past
Recent Examples of Synonyms for past
  1. history
  2. former
  3. over
  4. after
  5. old
  6. beyond
  7. other
  8. erstwhile
Noun
  • This week, the Indiana Fever point guard became the first player in WNBA history with consecutive games of 30 points and 10 assists.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 Aug. 2026
  • As crowds gathered and the idea caught fire, Hard Rock began taking its particular mix of burgers, band tees, and music history around the world, eventually opening its first Asian cafe in Tokyo in 1983.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of history
Adjective
  • Paul Johnson, former director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, attributes the root cause to sluggish economic growth.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Per the settlement, former director Patty Hector, who was fired by the county's chief executive following a dispute over censorship, will receive $225,000.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of former
Preposition
  • China could reduce its advanced-chip supply deficit over the next decade as domestic production expands, but lithography is a major obstacle to semiconductor self-sufficiency, according to a Goldman Sachs analysis reported by a Chinese media outlet.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The role of companies Singapore’s new scheme shifts from merely encouraging births to focus on family well-being over the long term, which might help change how potential parents think about children.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of over
Preposition
  • Currently, free agency begins five days after the World Series, with no expiration on when players can sign.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Billie is a pro at this by now, which extends to wingman-ing, but Issa totally lost her skills after being out of the game so long.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of after
Adjective
  • Nuclear Children follows 18-year-old Isla Sparrow who, after the death of her father in a submarine accident, hopes to escape her grieving family and flee to university.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But in older adults, the relationship between body weight and health may be more complicated than a number on the scale.
    — Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of old
Preposition
  • So this could turn out to be a season where the hot hand will rule, with Simone willing to wait his turn while Klay and Tim get first crack from beyond the arc.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Plenty of adults were appalled, but punk had a powerful influence on fashion, filmmaking and graphic design as well as rock music – well beyond punk itself.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of beyond
Adjective
  • People can lose weight because of cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.
    — Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Among other packaging tweaks, the 3-ounce and 8-ounce mists, as well as the 8-ounce wash, now use custom bottles that were developed specifically for this line.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of other
Adjective
  • Canada on Tuesday announced retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% percent on around $20 billion worth of US products, in an expanding trade war between the erstwhile allies.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Constructed in the late 19th century, the erstwhile residence joined Grand Hotel Timeo in 1929 when the properties’ owners married.
    — Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of erstwhile

Phrases Containing past

Browse Nearby Words

passwords
past
paste
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Past.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/past. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on past

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about past

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All