as in past
the events or experience of former times
the simple games of yesteryear that kept children entertained for hours
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Recent Examples of yesteryear
In an idyllic Tuscan town, the life of Elisa (Matilde Gioli) is turned upside down when a childhood friend returns, reawakening feelings from yesteryear.
—
Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2025
Ballard particularly likes historic hues – or even close matches to yesteryear’s colors (and bonus, the modern versions are lead-free).
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Dec. 2025
This constellation—a left-wing artistic politics that retained ties with yesteryear’s bohemian lifestyles while linking up with pragmatic concerns articulable as coherent demands that could interest broader audiences—was pretty novel.
—Diedrich Diederichsen, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
Many longtime residents favor the gritty realness of Mill Avenue's yesteryear, but new arrivals favor a wider range of experiences and something more cosmopolitan.
—Lauren De Young, AZCentral.com, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for yesteryear
Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2025
Ballard particularly likes historic hues – or even close matches to yesteryear’s colors (and bonus, the modern versions are lead-free).
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Dec. 2025
This constellation—a left-wing artistic politics that retained ties with yesteryear’s bohemian lifestyles while linking up with pragmatic concerns articulable as coherent demands that could interest broader audiences—was pretty novel.
—Diedrich Diederichsen, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025
Many longtime residents favor the gritty realness of Mill Avenue's yesteryear, but new arrivals favor a wider range of experiences and something more cosmopolitan.
—Lauren De Young, AZCentral.com, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for yesteryear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yesteryear
past
Noun
-
Archaeologists continued to dig into the distant past to discover a wealth of animals that once walked Lunan Beach, including red deer and roe deer as well as humans—some of whom were barefoot, according to the University of Aberdeen.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
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His lawyer, Béatrice Zavarro, sought to show that his past had formed him, but there was a cruel irony in the reference.—
Gaby Wood,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Yesteryear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yesteryear. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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