the past
noun
1
: an earlier time : the time before the present
happy memories of the past
In the past, there was a company luncheon every month.
2
grammar
: a verb tense that is used to refer to the past : the past tense
The past of "walk" is "walked."
Examples of the past in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But residents were skeptical the changes would make any difference, noting that many of the reforms were remarkably similar to efforts the city had made in the past.
—
Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
Kentucky Fried Chicken has offered scented sunscreen, fire logs in the past
This isn't the first time KFC has embraced its aroma, according to Nation's Restaurant News.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2024
The delay was made necessary after last week's split ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said the 1,000-foot chain of buoys floating for the past year near Eagle Pass may remain in place while the legal wrangling continues.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
In turn, strong sales have made Taylor Morrison quite trusted by investors: its stock price has doubled in the past two years.
—Heather Newman, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the past 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
Kentucky Fried Chicken has offered scented sunscreen, fire logs in the past
This isn't the first time KFC has embraced its aroma, according to Nation's Restaurant News.
—Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 22 Nov. 2024
The delay was made necessary after last week's split ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that said the 1,000-foot chain of buoys floating for the past year near Eagle Pass may remain in place while the legal wrangling continues.
—John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
In turn, strong sales have made Taylor Morrison quite trusted by investors: its stock price has doubled in the past two years.
—Heather Newman, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the past
Dictionary Entries Near the past
Cite this Entry
“The past.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20past. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share