the past
noun
1
: an earlier time : the time before the present
happy memories of the past
In the past, there was a company luncheon every month.
2
grammar
: a verb tense that is used to refer to the past : the past tense
The past of "walk" is "walked."
Examples of the past in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Shares of Biohaven have plunged 70% over the past 12 months and are down around 3% this year.
—
Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
Wing sales rose more than 26% in the Seattle area and climbed about 17% in the Boston area over the past month.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 8 Feb. 2026
Frank has spent the past week defending Romero’s behaviour on and off the pitch.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
In the past, New Delhi had opposed tariffs on sectors such as agriculture and dairy, which employ the bulk of the country's population.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the past
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Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
Wing sales rose more than 26% in the Seattle area and climbed about 17% in the Boston area over the past month.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 8 Feb. 2026
Frank has spent the past week defending Romero’s behaviour on and off the pitch.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
In the past, New Delhi had opposed tariffs on sectors such as agriculture and dairy, which employ the bulk of the country's population.
—Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for the past
Cite this Entry
“The past.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20past. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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