Synonyms of was

was

verb

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

• lived
• existed
• ruled
• breathed
• continued
• survived
• subsisted
• flourished
• led
• persisted
• lasted
• kicked
• kept (on)
• endured
• held on
• moved
• ran on
• held up
• prospered
• abided
• thrived

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• died
• departed
• disappeared
• expired
• passed away
• perished
• ended
• succumbed
• stopped
• vanished
• evaporated
• ceased
• discontinued
• quit
• died (down)
• subsided
• waned
• abated
• moderated
• desisted
• ebbed
• let up

2

as in stood

to occupy a place or location

we'll be there waiting for you

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stood
• sat
• remained
• bore
• lay
• resided
• stayed
• waited
• rested
• stationed
• awaited
• posted
• overlooked
• commanded
• hung around
• stuck around
• dwelled
• tarried

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

• ranked
• placed
• stood
• rated
• graded
• seeded
• counted
• classed
• classified
• grouped
• installed
• categorized
• separated
• sorted
• set
• codified
• instated
• compartmentalized

4

as in happened

to take place

the party is next Saturday

Synonyms & Similar Words

• happened
• came
• occurred
• did
• cooked
• came about
• transpired
• passed
• came down
• went on
• chanced
• befell
• went down
• came to pass
• came off
• happed
• developed
• betided
• resulted
• rose
• arose
• proceeded
• materialized
• came up
• intervened
• followed
• shaped (up)
• turned out
• cropped (up)
• sprang (up)
• broke
• fell out
• went off

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of was

On the flip side, when there was a flood in the lobby, one creator, who happened to be there, posted on social media. — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Despite Villa reaching their zenith under Emery in May, there was a growing argument to undergo a stable transitional phase, providing youthful impetus and appearing proactive, rather than reactive, in lowering the age of the squad. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026

There was no official confirmation of an attack on the Orsk oil refinery, which has been targeted before. — ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026

There was darkness, and then the sound of jangling keys, which induced terror. — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

There was a small bathroom with glass doors and a shower, a mini-bar, closet, desk, lounge chair and large doors that open onto the street. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026

Two Plössl eyepieces provided different magnifications, and there was also a red-dot finderscope and a manual equatorial mount with slow-motion cables. — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026

If there was any question as to whether the front office believes this Cubs team can do damage in the postseason, their trade deadline moves should quell those thoughts. — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026

Although Salguero-Olivares has maintained his innocence, Connie was relieved that there was an arrest in her daughter’s case. — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026