was

verb

Definition of wasnext
past tense of be
1
as in lived
to have life stories that begin with the familiar line "once upon a time there was a beautiful maiden"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stood
to occupy a place or location we'll be there waiting for you

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in ranked
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes our school's football team is first in its division

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in happened
to take place the party is next Saturday

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 was There was a single massive cheer from the home crowd in the fourth quarter, however. — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026 Unlike other modern culinary festivals, there was no peeking behind the curtain, because, in fact, there is no curtain. — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026 This return meant there was nothing new for Vicki to engage with, no new bonds to forge, no new stories to find. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2026 There was no trouble at Rayo Vallecano — unlike in its previous home match, which had to be suspended after fan protests — but the team was beaten by fellow struggler Elche 3-0. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026 There was upset after upset, and a few teams were on the verge of stumbling as well. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026 There was a defiant mood in the crowd, with a handful of protesters targeting the police with lasers. — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 The researchers said there was no better animal to study than Jonathan. — Kyle Melnick The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026 Bajaria asked Sarandos point-blank whether there was truth to the rumors gaining stream — and Sarandos, who it’s believed was originally going to break the news on Monday, told her at that moment. — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 17 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for was
  1. lived
  2. stood
  3. ranked
  4. happened
  5. existed
  6. sat
  7. placed
  8. came
Verb
  • The band members could handle it, but the property manager who lived above their first rehearsal spot was less enthusiastic.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Audrey lived at La Paisible until her death from cancer in January 1993, at just 63 years old.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of lived
Verb
  • In the middle of a lukewarm Massachusetts morning, Leonard Miller stood alone, toeing the 3-point arc in the corner of the court at TD Garden.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The ballroom, rising where the East Wing stood until its demolition last October, is being funded largely by private donors, including Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Lockheed Martin, as Fortune has reported.
    — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of stood
Verb
  • The Wildcats, ranked in both the Associated Press and coaches’ polls, are coming off a 22-14 season that took them to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
    — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Florida ranked sixth among all states for credit card debt per capita at $5,050 at the end of 2025, up $210 from a year earlier, according to Federal Reserve Bank of New York data.
    — Malana VanTyler, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of ranked
Verb
  • That, however, never happened and an attorney eventually petitioned for his release.
    — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
  • His death happened two weeks after his release tour for High, Lonesome and Then Some was canceled following Snider’s involvement in a still-unclear incident in Salt Lake City that landed him in a hospital and in jail.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of happened
Verb
  • The Old Mine Cushion style was chosen given its place as one of the earliest styles of diamond cuts — developed in the 1700s, the cut was shaped by hand and instinct under the candlelight before modern technology existed.
    — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • For military and intelligence agencies, the potential now existed for reconnaissance at a far larger scale than what was possible with high-altitude aircraft.
    — Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of existed
Verb
  • This fine establishment has sat at the same address in the Williamsburg Bridge's shadow since 1887, and the interiors carry about as many frills as your average public house—dark wood, plaster walls, and so on.
    — Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Dec. 2025
  • The birthday boy and his big sister Sterling Skye, 3, each sat between one of their parents’ laps.
    — Angel Saunders, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of sat
Verb
  • The system uses implanted 3-mm magnets to measure muscle length and movement speed through sensors placed on the skin.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Carefully placed to take full advantage of ocean views but not block them, the buildings seem not so much on the land as embedded within it.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of placed
Verb
  • That came just a few days after news broke that Palantir had secured a $10 billion contract from the US Army over the next decade.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
  • All five of Bednar’s outs came via strikeout on Wednesday.
    — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 7 Aug. 2025
Definition of came

Browse Nearby Words

wary
was
was friends with
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Cite this Entry

“Was.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/was. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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