onetime

1 of 2

adjective

one·​time ˈwən-ˈtīm How to pronounce onetime (audio)
Synonyms of onetimenext
1
: former, sometime
a onetime actor
2
: occurring only once : one-shot

onetime

2 of 2

adverb

Synonyms of onetime

Examples of onetime in a Sentence

Adjective a onetime actor now turned singer with any luck, that was a onetime mistake Adverb an athlete who onetime competed in marathons on a regular basis
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Adams added that Uniswap’s former COO, Mary-Catherine Lader, a onetime BlackRock executive who started the company’s digital asset division, helped broker the deal. Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 11 Feb. 2026 Kennedy, 72, the son of onetime attorney general Robert Kennedy, is the nation's top public health official and has drawn bipartisan criticism for his handling of various issues such as vaccines and unsubstantiated links between Tylenol and autism. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
Adverb
In a podcast last week, onetime CBS News anchor Connie Chung clashed with her husband and shock show host Maury Povich over the impact so far on CBS. Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 8 Dec. 2025 She was married only once, very briefly to Brazilian industrialist Roberto Seabra, and then had a 30-year relationship with Raymond Marcellin, onetime Interior Minister of France, before his death in 2004. Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for onetime

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of onetime was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Onetime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onetime. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

onetime

adjective
one·​time
ˈwən-ˌtīm
1
: former sense 1
a onetime boxing champion
2
: happening only once
a onetime event

More from Merriam-Webster on onetime

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster