past

1 of 4

adjective

ˈpast 

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

past

2 of 4

preposition

1

a

: beyond the age for or of

past playing with dolls

b

: after

half past two

2

a

: at the farther side of : beyond

b

: in a course or direction going close to and then beyond

drove past the house

3

obsolete : more than

4

: beyond the capacity, range, or sphere of

past belief

past

3 of 4

noun

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

pastless

ˈpas(t)-ləs 

adjective

past

4 of 4

adverb

: so as to reach and go beyond a point near at hand

drove past

Synonyms

Adjective

• erstwhile
• former
• late
• old
• once
• onetime
• other
• quondam
• sometime
• whilom

Preposition

• beyond
• over

Noun

• auld lang syne
• history
• yesterday
• yesteryear
• yore

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

Adjective

The post was met with accounts celebrating the withdrawal and ridiculing past decisions. —Sara Dorn, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

His past credits include series regular roles on Devious Maids as well as recurring roles on Batwoman and 911: Lone Star. —Lynette Rice, Deadline, 12 Dec. 2024

Preposition

The same family of contaminants triggered past recalls of the heartburn drug Zantac, the diabetes drug metformin and the smoking cessation medication Chantix. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024

The helicopter was originally only planned to operate for 30 days, taking up to 5 test flights, but engineers were delighted to find that Ingenuity carried on functioning long past this deadline. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024

Noun

Insurgent leaders say the group has broken with its extremist past, though HTS is still labeled a terrorist group by the United States and European countries. —Albert Aji and Matthew Lee The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 14 Dec. 2024

John’s past struggles seemingly led him to that conclusion. —Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 13 Dec. 2024

Adverb

This year’s edition is lighter on A-list names than years past, leaving more opportunities for rising talent to nab prime Q&A and studio interview spots. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Dec. 2024

The statute of limitations on the return, if one existed, would have been long past. —Valerie Myers, USA TODAY, 4 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Preposition, Noun, and Adverb

Middle English, from past participle of passen to pass

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Preposition

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1799, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing past

• all in the past
• (a) quarter past
• a thing of the past
• beyond/past redemption
• blast from the past
• checkered past
• half past
• in times past
• I wouldn't put it past (someone)
• leave the past behind
• live in the past
• march-past
• past bearing
• past due
• past it
• past master
• past one's prime
• past participle
• past perfect
• past tense
• past the hour
• relic of the past
• run past
• the dim and distant past
• the past
• the past perfect
• this past
• tick away/by/past
• whistle past the graveyard

Kids Definition

past

1 of 4 adjective

ˈpast 

1

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 preposition

1

: 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 noun

1

: a former time or event

2

a

: past tense

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