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
The Seattle Mariners’ 6-4 win Saturday gave them a two-game lead in the American League West, a division the Astros have won in each of the past seven 162-game seasons.
—
Chandler Rome, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
Still betting on this legacy, which has been built up so well in the past.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
Over the past three years, more than 40 people have been charged with selling about 15,000 fake nursing school diplomas to South Florida students who paid more than $220 million to take shortcuts in their education, federal authorities say.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
Heavy rain and flash flooding drenched the Southwest over the past few days.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for the past
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Chandler Rome, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
Still betting on this legacy, which has been built up so well in the past.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
Over the past three years, more than 40 people have been charged with selling about 15,000 fake nursing school diplomas to South Florida students who paid more than $220 million to take shortcuts in their education, federal authorities say.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
Heavy rain and flash flooding drenched the Southwest over the past few days.
—Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2025
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 23 Sep. 2025.
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