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
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
Advertisement Former House Speaker John Boehner and former Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, too, were in the crowd that was an unmistakable throwback to yesteryear.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for yesteryear
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
Advertisement Former House Speaker John Boehner and former Senate Leader Mitch McConnell, too, were in the crowd that was an unmistakable throwback to yesteryear.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 20 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for yesteryear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for yesteryear
past
Noun
-
That’s a far cry from the engines of NASCAR’s past, which produced more than 900 hp and made the Cup Series’ screaming cars stand out as unique.—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Nyla Brooks scored 21 points, Nyla Harris added 19 and North Carolina rolled past Wake Forest.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Yesteryear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/yesteryear. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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