Synonyms of past

past 1 of 3

noun

as in history

the events or experience of former times

we spent a pleasant evening recalling the past together

Synonyms & Similar Words

• history
• yesterday
• yesteryear
• yore
• annals
• record
• auld lang syne
• bygone
• flashback
• antiquity
• memoir
• chronicle
• long ago

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• future
• tomorrow
• now
• present
• today
• moment
• offing
• futurity
• hereafter
• by-and-by

past

2 of 3

adjective

ˈpast 

as in former

having been such at some previous time

a past editor of the newspaper

Synonyms & Similar Words

• former
• old
• other
• erstwhile
• late
• once
• sometime
• onetime
• bygone
• defunct
• whilom
• quondam
• gone
• vanished
• long-ago
• expired
• departed
• extinct
• dead

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• present
• current
• contemporary
• ongoing
• future
• present-day
• prospective
• extant
• coming
• unborn

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

• over
• beyond
• outside
• on the far side of

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• inside

2

as in after

subsequent to in time or order

it's ten minutes past six o'clock

Synonyms & Similar Words

• after
• behind
• following
• since
• below
• après
• next to

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• of
• before
• prior to
• to
• previous to
• ahead of
• toward
• afore
• ere

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of past

Noun

The thread of citizen rights and responsibilities weaves through each of these, uniting evolving conceptions of freedom, self-government, and individual achievement from the nation’s past through to its present. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 4 July 2026

Ahead of Independence Day, the two figureheads of America’s political parties offered competing visions for the nation’s future, each before symbols of the country’s past. — Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 4 July 2026

Adjective

According to a report on New York’s ABC7, citing an unidentified police source (and multiple social media posts), a large number of fans rushed at least two of the stadium’s gates and got past security without being screened. — Jem Aswad, Variety, 13 July 2026

Some critics of Israel have surfaced his past activities and affiliations to make the case that opposing Argentina is the anti-Zionist choice. — Juan Melamed, Sun Sentinel, 13 July 2026

Preposition

The initiative was launched under President Joe Biden’s administration in 2022 and was supposed to run past this year. — Lizzie Kane july 11, Sacbee.com, 11 July 2026

An earthquake occurs when an edge is stuck for long enough that the energy that would usually cause the pieces to slide past each other is stored up instead. — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026

Phrases Containing past

• past master
• run past