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

There is also the mysterious overseer of the games known as Front Man, who is revealed to be Hwang In-ho (Lee Byung-hun), a past winner of the games and the brother of police officer Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-joon). —Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024

Jackpot 5 + 0 = $1 million 4 + 1 = $10,000 4 + 0 = $500 3 + 1 = $200 3 + 0 = $10 2 + 1+ $10 1 + 1 = $4 0 + 1 = $2 Visit the Mega Millions website for past drawings and rules of the game. —Jennie Key, The Enquirer, 24 Dec. 2024

Preposition

Investors looked past those numbers a few days later, driving the stock up 20% after Trump’s election win, as all things tied to crypto rallied. —Ari Levy, CNBC, 25 Dec. 2024

Bynum drives past the Conejo, Hanford and Madera viaducts on her way to work. —Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024

Noun

Like those mudskippers, also known as mudlarks, who scour riverbanks for artifacts from London’s past—Roman pottery, Victorian silverware—everyday citizens report dugout sightings across Wisconsin. —Jacqueline Kehoe, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2024

Today, tonic water is famous for its use in gin and tonics, but its medicinal past still lingers in the flavor profile. —Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 23 Dec. 2024

Adverb

The showroom floor itself seemed to be more intuitive for attendees than in years past. —Andrew Deangelo, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024

These Santas likely are the ones who made sure the tree got decorated, particularly with family ornaments carefully preserved from Christmases past. —Mike Masterson, arkansasonline.com, 24 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