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

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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

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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

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

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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 past
Noun
Unlike most of his peers, the lead singer of the world’s greatest rock and roll band has never been one for looking back, even at the recent past. — Jem Aswad, Variety, 1 Aug. 2026 Here’s a story from my past to drive home why this is important. — Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Gunn smartly turns the spotlight on Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper), delivering a poignant and emotional storyline about grief and reckoning with past traumas. — Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026 The Brewers won for the fifth time in their past seven games and moved past the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in the major leagues at 69-41. — ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Preposition
And her block on Sabrina Ionescu moments before halftime preceded her sprinting past multiple Liberty players, receiving a bounce pass from Flau’jae Johnson, spinning by Rebekah Gardner and easily scoring two of 15 first-half points. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026 Wherever two fluids slide past each other at different speeds, the boundary between them buckles, then curls, then rolls up into vortexes. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 7 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
  • In 2018, Modi was accused by Indian authorities of orchestrating one of the country’s largest bank frauds in modern history.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Yes, Venice provides a glamorous, high-profile red carpet, a heady dose of prestige with its long and glittering history, and a Golden Lion win can sometimes pave the way to a best-picture Oscar.
    — Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of history
Adjective
  • She’s hired a former Georgia Supreme Court chief justice as a special prosecutor to get the state’s appellate courts to weigh in.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Among the players involved in the Georgia case are former Clemson and Georgia forward RJ Godfrey, former UCF forward Jamichael Stillwell and former Georgia Tech guard Lamar Washington.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of former
Preposition
  • The Broadway Bridge over the Arkansas River was closed briefly on Saturday evening while police responded to a report of a man who had talked about jumping off it, authorities said.
    — Rafael Escalera Montoto, Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026
  • When the actress’ hiring was announced, there was an outcry over allegations of colorism due to Stenberg’s mixed-race status and lighter skin tone.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of over
Preposition
  • Starter Luis Castillo allowed five runs on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk in four innings in his White Sox debut after being acquired from the Seattle Mariners.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Scott recalled the moment Jeff Hiller emerged as the right fit for Larry, a friendly neighbor who reveals that the hivemind cannot lie, after a long search through auditions.
    — Deadline, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of after
Adjective
  • The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Jeanine John Taele, was spotted by plainclothes federal agents who observed odd behavior and subsequently contacted the Lomita Sheriff Department deputies.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Aug. 2026
  • In honor of the upcoming movie, the All Roads Lead to Camp bus is touring across the country and bringing fans, new and old, into the world of Camp Rock, PEOPLE previously revealed exclusively.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of old
Preposition
  • The emergence of additional Chinese prototypes suggests that competition between the world’s two largest military powers is extending beyond current fifth-generation aircraft into the race for future air dominance.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
  • For Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the operator of the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty program, the challenge is to expand beyond hotels without becoming another sprawling marketplace filled with loosely connected offers.
    — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of beyond
Adjective
  • The service Casually buttoned-up and (like many other things at this property) classic New York, with concierge and servers always ready to lend a hand—but without fussing over anything.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2026
  • While plenty of chic boots are obviously on her radar, her seasonal collection includes a range of other styles, too, like sneakers, loafers, and flats.
    — Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of other
Adjective
  • The erstwhile New York resident was loudly and vigorously booed by the hometown crowd as he was shown on the jumbotron of the legendary arena.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 June 2026
  • Despite his meltdown in Colorado’s extra-inning loss to Milwaukee Friday night, the erstwhile starter has been one of baseball’s best relievers this season.
    — Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
Definition of erstwhile

Phrases Containing past

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Cite this Entry

“Past.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/past. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on past

Nglish: Translation of past for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about past

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