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

With over 1,400 crew members, there was always a willing hand near-by with a greeting or offer of assistance. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2026

Growing up, there was always something special about going to grandma’s house that made any regular day feel so much more fun, especially during summertime when days are long and the kids are, well, bored. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 July 2026

Roughly half its funding now comes from inside Sri Lanka, a shift from the early days, when Whitney-Johnson once bartered jewelry lessons to a sixteen-year-old in exchange for translating, because there was no money to pay her. — Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

There was no official mechanism to appeal a red card or a suspension. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Investigators believe the two suspects were shooting at each other and, although one remained on the loose, Assistant Seattle Police Chief Tyrone Davis told a news conference Sunday night that there was no ongoing threat to the public. — Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2026

There was something so sinister about FIFA pushing the idea of diversity while bending the knee to a government working to discard the real thing. — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026

There was, however, criticism of the deal among legal and immigrant advocates. — Alan Gionet, CBS News, 14 July 2026