as in former
having been such at some previous time
the once child star is now a lawyer in the entertainment industry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in when
just at the moment that
you should have stopped wrestling once you knew someone was getting hurt, not five minutes later
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of once
Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 23 July 2025
Kids once checked out were laughing and staying after class.
—Elan Gepner-Dales, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2025
Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 16 Jan. 2025
But Smith also had some choice words for the once and future president.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for once
Adverb
Birmingham’s love for Osbourne was once again on show on Wednesday as fans turned the city’s famous Black Sabbath bench and mural into makeshift memorials for him.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 23 July 2025
Kids once checked out were laughing and staying after class.
—Elan Gepner-Dales, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2025
Adjective
No amount of banging it against the counter will return it to its once supple, wet sand-like texture.
—Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 16 Jan. 2025
But Smith also had some choice words for the once and future president.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for once
Recent Examples of Synonyms for once
Adverb
-
Jean Orlowski, formerly working on Wall Street, now owns Hala Tree Coffee (Big Island) & Hala Tree Cafe (Oahu).—
Jean Orlowski,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
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Police were called about 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 27, to a report of a pedestrian hit by a car in the parking lot at Alex’s Market & Grill in Holly Township, according to a Michigan State Police post on the social media site formerly known as Twitter.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
Two incumbents, a former city councilwoman and five others make up a crowded list of candidates vying for at-large seats on the Detroit City Council in the primary.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
27 July 2025
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Among the attendees were Madison Beer and former Disney Channel star Kyle Massey.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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The committee is seeking old photographs and historical information about Pea Ridge and the years before there was a newspaper.—
Annette Beard,
Arkansas Online,
24 July 2025
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Delaying tree harvests and protecting older forests enhances carbon sequestration, making untouched forests vital for reducing carbon dioxide and combating climate change.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Students in grades 6-12 are also allowed to have cell phones and other personal technology at school and are allowed to use them during lunch and in between classes.—
Rachel Wegner,
The Tennessean,
24 July 2025
-
According to English, wages at other manufacturing plants that do similar work are much higher than at Challenge, where some employees are paid as little as $18 an hour.—
Liam Rappleye,
Freep.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
Tesla, led by President Trump’s erstwhile ally Elon Musk, said that costs tied to tariffs have increased by about $300 million.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
30 July 2025
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Later that year, Beavis and Butt-head got their series on the erstwhile music channel, running for seven seasons over four years.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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And that is part of our work today: reconciling past ambition with present-day opportunities.—
Mark Anthony Thomas,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Aug. 2025
-
McDaniel said Jackson’s injury has nothing to do with past knee injuries.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Trump is suing the newspaper owned by his sometime supporter Rupert Murdoch.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
-
Warner recurred on the NBC comedy as Andre, sometime husband to Brown’s Shirley.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
In late April, a judge reduced his bail from $1.2 million to $7,000 after his attorney argued that he should be released because of the results.—
Tony Plohetski,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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From the Sports Desk Football: Louisville football will again play three of the top ACC contenders, which could boost its standing nationally and pad its pockets financially, our C.L. Brown explains in his latest column.—
Ray Padilla,
The Courier-Journal,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Once.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/once. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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