1
a
: ago
12 years past
started working on this project 10 years past
b
: just gone or elapsed
for the past few months
I spoke with him this past weekend.
2
: having existed or taken place in a period before the present : bygone
In past winters, we have had much more snow.
3
: of, relating to, or constituting a verb tense that is expressive of elapsed time and that in English is usually formed by internal vowel change (as in sang) or by the addition of a suffix (as in laughed)
4
: having served as a specified officer in an organization
past president
past champions
1
a
: time gone by
b
: something that happened or was done in the past
regret the past
2
a
: the past tense of a language
b
: a verb form in the past tense
3
: a past life, history, or course of action
especially
: one that is kept secret
: so as to reach and go beyond a point near at hand
drove past
Synonyms
Examples of past in a Sentence
Adjective
She was hired based on her past experience in sales.
a past editor of the newspaper
Preposition
The office is two blocks past the intersection.
Turn left just past the stairs.
We drove past the house.
I must have walked right past her.
He looked past me to the next customer.
Noun
Past, present, and future are all linked together.
The past of “walk” is “walked.”
Adverb
Several weeks went past before we heard from her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2024
Wind your way around the spiral track over obstacle bridges, through waterfall tunnels, past signal bells, and down the mountain into the mine.
—Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 21 Apr. 2024
The Giants’ starting pitcher has failed to make it out of the fifth inning in either of their past two games.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024
These past couple of hours have been just so nourishing for me.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 20 Apr. 2024
Like a story over campfire, embellished without fact-checking so many times that there’s an astonishingly large segment of the basketball-watching world seems to believe that Doncic simply owns the Clippers and that Dallas won one of these past two meetings, if not both.
—Mirjam Swanson, Orange County Register, 19 Apr. 2024
The health inequities found in the report are not new and are rooted in past and current local, state and federal policies, the report said.
—Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024
In past years, Loverin said, the Metropolis library has relied on state grants to close shortfalls or fund capital improvements.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
As in past years, viewers will also be able to tune in to the official ACM Red Carpet on Prime Video, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch and Amazon Live.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
Ben Church, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
If that love lasts past adolescence, it can be seen as embarrassing.
—Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Highs are expected to be near or past 70, with wind gusts around 35 mph in the afternoon through evening.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
The win pushed her past former Duke and Army coach Mike Krzyzewski's record.
—Jose Fabian, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2024
For 4 minutes and 23 seconds, at exactly 38 minutes past 1 p.m., Hillsboro etched its place in earhtly celestial history.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024
Yandy Diaz smoked a two-run, bad-hop single past first baseman Michael Toglia for the go-ahead runs.
—Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2024
The Karl Knapp Trail (2.5 miles) at Prairie Creek Redwoods, near Klamath, takes you past some of the tallest redwoods on the planet.
—Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
If the administration tried to ram an order past informal congressional review, lawmakers could seek to block that through a supermajority joint resolution during the formal notification period.
—Edward Wong, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Kathleen Duval, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
Most recently, Robbie brought outfits from the iconic doll's past to life on the red carpet during her Barbie press tour.
—Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
The intriguing interiors here pay homage to the building’s past, as well as wider local history and tales of times past.
—Anya Meyerowitz, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Apr. 2024
The island has a turbulent past—its indigenous population was colonized by the Spanish and then the Dutch—and its archives contain artefacts ranging from sunny vintage postcards to books about the nation’s role in the slave trade and Venuzuela’s oil boom.
—Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 8 Apr. 2024
Amid the controversy, Burns said his thoughts are with the victims who are now reliving the traumatic incidents from their past.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 8 Apr. 2024
Comedy nerds and oddballs of all stripes embraced the show, especially its singularly off-putting heroine, a woman with a garish overbite, a sordid past and a strangely infectious nasal drawl.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
Over the course of almost two decades, the crew showed up at 12 small, low-profile museums that often lacked elaborate security systems, stripping them of cherished items, including treasured heirlooms from America’s sporting past, the authorities say.
—Christopher Kuo, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
Iowa has been breaking audience records all season, which makes sense: Clark is a transformative talent who can score at will from anywhere past the half-court line, and do it with rousing flair and a competitive scowl.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2024
USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
With Easter falling in March, April is a little lighter in chocolate than years past.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2024
Johnson’s relationship with son Colt — who starred on the franchise in seasons past — had been temporarily severed due to ongoing disagreements.
—Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
Just about every fan-favorite side character from years past makes an appearance to help pass judgment on the four.
—Avi Selk, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
The film is based on the star wished upon by many Disney characters past and follows Asha (Ariana DeBose), a girl from the magical kingdom of Rosas, who wish gets answered.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
Speaking of which, one of the highlights is a stunning grand entrance hallway that harks back to The OWO’s storied past.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2024
His first tour with the E Street Band since 2017 began last February in Tampa, Fl., with fans still grumbling over a dynamic ticket pricing fiasco, and was criticized because the set lists were too rigid compared to years past.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 5 Apr. 2024
Meanwhile elderly passengers stream right past, powered by their limbs, walkers, and electric wheelchairs.
—Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
Adjective
Yarrow, who has taken a lot of heat for using game-farm animals in his past work, is quick to point out that film and TV have been much bigger supporters of the industry.
—Rene Ebersole, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2024
Wind your way around the spiral track over obstacle bridges, through waterfall tunnels, past signal bells, and down the mountain into the mine.
—Laura Lu, Ms, Parents, 21 Apr. 2024
The Giants’ starting pitcher has failed to make it out of the fifth inning in either of their past two games.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 20 Apr. 2024
These past couple of hours have been just so nourishing for me.
—Daniela Avila, Peoplemag, 20 Apr. 2024
Like a story over campfire, embellished without fact-checking so many times that there’s an astonishingly large segment of the basketball-watching world seems to believe that Doncic simply owns the Clippers and that Dallas won one of these past two meetings, if not both.
—Mirjam Swanson, Orange County Register, 19 Apr. 2024
The health inequities found in the report are not new and are rooted in past and current local, state and federal policies, the report said.
—Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024
In past years, Loverin said, the Metropolis library has relied on state grants to close shortfalls or fund capital improvements.
—Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
As in past years, viewers will also be able to tune in to the official ACM Red Carpet on Prime Video, the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch and Amazon Live.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024
Preposition
Rodrygo raced onto a wonderful through ball from Vinícius Jr. and kept his composure to nudge his effort past Stefan Ortega in the City net.
—Ben Church, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024
If that love lasts past adolescence, it can be seen as embarrassing.
—Valerie Trapp, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Highs are expected to be near or past 70, with wind gusts around 35 mph in the afternoon through evening.
—Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
The win pushed her past former Duke and Army coach Mike Krzyzewski's record.
—Jose Fabian, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2024
For 4 minutes and 23 seconds, at exactly 38 minutes past 1 p.m., Hillsboro etched its place in earhtly celestial history.
—Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2024
Yandy Diaz smoked a two-run, bad-hop single past first baseman Michael Toglia for the go-ahead runs.
—Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 8 Apr. 2024
The Karl Knapp Trail (2.5 miles) at Prairie Creek Redwoods, near Klamath, takes you past some of the tallest redwoods on the planet.
—Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2024
If the administration tried to ram an order past informal congressional review, lawmakers could seek to block that through a supermajority joint resolution during the formal notification period.
—Edward Wong, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024
Noun
These museums all teach the diverse histories of their peoples, from the distant past to the present, to Native and non-Native visitors.
—Kathleen Duval, TIME, 10 Apr. 2024
Most recently, Robbie brought outfits from the iconic doll's past to life on the red carpet during her Barbie press tour.
—Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
The intriguing interiors here pay homage to the building’s past, as well as wider local history and tales of times past.
—Anya Meyerowitz, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Apr. 2024
The island has a turbulent past—its indigenous population was colonized by the Spanish and then the Dutch—and its archives contain artefacts ranging from sunny vintage postcards to books about the nation’s role in the slave trade and Venuzuela’s oil boom.
—Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 8 Apr. 2024
Amid the controversy, Burns said his thoughts are with the victims who are now reliving the traumatic incidents from their past.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 8 Apr. 2024
Comedy nerds and oddballs of all stripes embraced the show, especially its singularly off-putting heroine, a woman with a garish overbite, a sordid past and a strangely infectious nasal drawl.
—Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2024
Over the course of almost two decades, the crew showed up at 12 small, low-profile museums that often lacked elaborate security systems, stripping them of cherished items, including treasured heirlooms from America’s sporting past, the authorities say.
—Christopher Kuo, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2024
Iowa has been breaking audience records all season, which makes sense: Clark is a transformative talent who can score at will from anywhere past the half-court line, and do it with rousing flair and a competitive scowl.
—Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2024
Adverb
Collaborative playlists are the modern day, digital version of the mixtape and burned CD that generations past used to share great tunes with the people in their lives.
—USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024
With Easter falling in March, April is a little lighter in chocolate than years past.
—Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2024
Johnson’s relationship with son Colt — who starred on the franchise in seasons past — had been temporarily severed due to ongoing disagreements.
—Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
Just about every fan-favorite side character from years past makes an appearance to help pass judgment on the four.
—Avi Selk, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
The film is based on the star wished upon by many Disney characters past and follows Asha (Ariana DeBose), a girl from the magical kingdom of Rosas, who wish gets answered.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024
Speaking of which, one of the highlights is a stunning grand entrance hallway that harks back to The OWO’s storied past.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2024
His first tour with the E Street Band since 2017 began last February in Tampa, Fl., with fans still grumbling over a dynamic ticket pricing fiasco, and was criticized because the set lists were too rigid compared to years past.
—Daniel Kohn, SPIN, 5 Apr. 2024
Meanwhile elderly passengers stream right past, powered by their limbs, walkers, and electric wheelchairs.
—Gary Shteyngart, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'past.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near past
Cite this Entry
“Past.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/past. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
past
1 of 4 adjective1
a
: ago
10 years past
b
: just gone by
for the past few months
2
: having existed or taken place in a period before the present
past customs
3
: of, relating to, or being a verb tense that in English is usually formed by internal vowel change (as in sang) or by the addition of a suffix (as in laughed) and that expresses time gone by
4
: no longer serving
a past president
past
2 of 4 preposition1
: beyond entry 2 sense 1
past 50 years old
half past ten
2
: in a course by and then beyond
the road goes past the house
past
3 of 4 noun1
: a former time or event
2
a
b
: a verb form in the past tense
3
: a past life or history
especially
: a past life that is secret or questionable
past
4 of 4 adverb
: so as to pass by
a deer ran past
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