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

The sound of the music was one thing—even when Stereolab were at their loungiest or Stars of the Lid were including the key in which a song was composed in its title, there was something like the faintest air of rock music in their experiments. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026

Strada defends execution protocol There was no immediate response from Pike’s lawyers for an update Saturday on her condition at a hospital. — Ed White, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Then there was Colin Jost’s Pete Hegseth, putting the fun in whack job Defense Secretary once again. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2026

There was also no evidence the foul was motivated by Cunningham’s position on transgender athletes. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026

There was no immediate comment Saturday from Israel’s government. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026

Its kitchen could barely fit two people, and there was only one table with a few chairs. — Laura Rodríguez Presa, Chicago Tribune, 26 Sep. 2026

In mid-September, a grand jury met over five days to decide whether there was probable cause of criminal wrongdoing in connection with Wells’s death. — Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026

Growing up, there was a lot of pressure not to become a train wreck. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2026