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
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
Michelle Lee, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
In a break from past practice, the government appears to be revoking student visas directly, without warning or due process, attorneys say.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Becky Sullivan, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
Also on Thursday, Peacock released some photos of the upcoming season, including the one above of John racing past a car.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2025
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The students’ work in the Jewish cemetery risks rousing this grim past, and most Darkenbloom residents want no part of such investigations.
—James Wood, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
As in years past, this year’s class of 32 fellows are all recent PhDs who’ve been identified as some of the most outstanding early-career scientists in the world.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for past
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Her personalized pair featured tons of colorful gemstones inspired by Ballerini's past musical eras as well as song titles from Patterns and Rolling Up the Welcome Mat (For Good) .
—Michelle Lee, People.com, 17 Apr. 2025
In a break from past practice, the government appears to be revoking student visas directly, without warning or due process, attorneys say.
—Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Preposition
The first iteration of its NHL team, the Jets, played in town from 1979 to 1996 — and never won a Stanley Cup, or even advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
Also on Thursday, Peacock released some photos of the upcoming season, including the one above of John racing past a car.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
In the same way certain songs or scents can jolt you back to specific moments in your past, reminders of an ex can awaken neural pathways that were deeply carved by love and routine.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
The students’ work in the Jewish cemetery risks rousing this grim past, and most Darkenbloom residents want no part of such investigations.
—James Wood, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
Adverb
Unlike in years past, the Final Four isn’t their introduction to a mass audience.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
As in years past, this year’s class of 32 fellows are all recent PhDs who’ve been identified as some of the most outstanding early-career scientists in the world.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for past
Cite this Entry
“Past.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/past. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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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