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
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Recent Examples of once
Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 5 June 2025
The news comes after the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches, gave official approval Thursday, May 22 for SpaceX to launch Starship once again.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 May 2025
Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2025
For Silver, there can no peace until the new school, and the resurgence of Cobra Kai headed by his once friend and now nemesis Kreese, gets some payback.
—Demetrius Patterson, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for once
Adverb
On this first night, the magic was on the other side in a manner that told you this final step up the mountain will, once again, be the toughest.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 5 June 2025
The news comes after the Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches, gave official approval Thursday, May 22 for SpaceX to launch Starship once again.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 May 2025
Adjective
But Smith also had some choice words for the once and future president.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 14 Jan. 2025
For Silver, there can no peace until the new school, and the resurgence of Cobra Kai headed by his once friend and now nemesis Kreese, gets some payback.
—Demetrius Patterson, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for once
Recent Examples of Synonyms for once
Adverb
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What was formerly a single-vendor ERP environment is quickly becoming a sprawling SaaS mess of multiple applications.—
Pankaj Goel,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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The rescue took place between Mile Rock Beach and Deadman’s Point on Saturday, June 7, the San Francisco Fire Department said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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The second-term president's highest-priority legislation is under attack from some Senate Republicans – and from his former billionaire adviser Elon Musk – for costing too much.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
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Also on the Ringling grounds is their ornate former home (some might say palace), Ca’ d ‘Zan, a Venetian-style home that sits at the lapping shores of Sarasota Bay.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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International students make up about 27% of the student body at the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
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Former New College student Katie Helms, 47, got emotional when remembering her old mentor.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
25 May 2025
Adjective
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The wide-ranging punishments for such sinful behavior could include a prohibition on wearing gold and other precious jewelry, as well as large tithes to monastic orders and the poor.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
6 June 2025
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Similarly, SpaceX is hugely dependent on direct grants and regulatory permitting, clearances, and partnership from NASA and other federal agencies.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Even without his erstwhile power-pitching ability, Kimbrel hopes to compensate with experience.—
Dan Schlossberg,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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As the group’s drummer and erstwhile bassist when Rastegar was unavailable, Wood came into permanent possession of the second chair.—
Andrew Gilbert,
Mercury News,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Projecting a little further out, the Switch 2 will be the only way to legitimately play Mario and Zelda adventures that seem highly likely to be can't-miss classics, given past performance.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 June 2025
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Over his past 25 games before Sunday, Olson had a 1.003 OPS and NL-leading 17 extra-base hits in that period.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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Instead, Trump took a number of potshots at his sometime opponent during a Tuesday press conference, less than 48 hours after ordering the Bureau of Prisons to reopen Alcatraz as a federal penitentiary.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2025
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The fang gang present themselves as yearning European folk enthusiasts and later as jigging fiends and sometime metalheads.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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One fearless couple puts it to the test By Anonymous Read On Now Trending Sounds Fishy Skin’s latest savior?—
Emily Retter,
Air Mail,
12 June 2025
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The flights for El Salvador were scheduled for 5:26, 5:44, and 7:36 p.m. Prompted by an emergency motion from the American Civil Liberties Union and Democracy Forward, U.S. Judge James Boasberg ordered a virtual hearing on the matter for late that afternoon.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Once.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/once. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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