as in former
having been such at some previous time
the once child star is now a lawyer in the entertainment industry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in when
just at the moment that
you should have stopped wrestling once you knew someone was getting hurt, not five minutes later
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of once
Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 24 Jan. 2025
At Yankee Stadium, his left-handed swing could produce home run totals above 20 annually, something he's only done once.
—John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Natalie Venegas, Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2024
As job gains dropped off from their once breakneck pace, economists were quick to note that the labor market was merely slowing and not at risk of imminent collapse.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for once 
Adverb
Over 13 million Americans ages twelve and older reported inhaling nitrous oxide at least once, according to a 2023 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration survey.2
Nitrous oxide is used as a mild anesthetic during medical and dental procedures.
—Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 24 Jan. 2025
At Yankee Stadium, his left-handed swing could produce home run totals above 20 annually, something he's only done once.
—John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
The downsizing trend reflects broader shifts in marketing as the once staple of American living rooms, thick catalogs from brands like Sears and J.C. Penney have dwindled and been replaced by compact mailings and digital platforms.
—Natalie Venegas, Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2024
As job gains dropped off from their once breakneck pace, economists were quick to note that the labor market was merely slowing and not at risk of imminent collapse.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 4 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for once
Recent Examples of Synonyms for once
Adverb
-
This is, as its name would suggest, the second car from Polestar, formerly Volvo’s performance division – a bit like AMG is to Mercedes – but now a sister brand that, like Volvo, is owned by Chinese automotive giant Geely.—
Alistair Charlton,
Forbes,
17 Jan. 2025
-
What To Know In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Penny is seen riding the subway.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Monday’s event featured former Jets, some of them returning to the team’s facility for the first time in decades, there to see Aaron Glenn.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
The Athletic,
28 Jan. 2025
-
Large swathes of your hometown have burned, including your former home.—
Harrison Jacobs,
ARTnews.com,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Women and adults younger than 45 are more likely than men and older adults to say that moderate drinking is bad for health, as were Democrats and independents.—
Deidre McPhillips,
CNN,
24 Jan. 2025
-
On the day of the shooting, Nixon-Clark was 16 years and 9 months old, just shy of reaching legal status as an adult.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Fogelman’s firm decision to cap the series at three seasons means Brown will remain available if other intriguing projects come around, including a blockbuster franchise.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2025
-
The new movie is described as a continuation of the franchise centering Godzilla, Kong and an assortment of other Titans.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
But beloved rapper and reality star Flavor Flav wasn’t the only one urging followers to support Meester’s erstwhile pop career.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
16 Jan. 2025
-
The founder of JetBlue Airways gives the carrier’s erstwhile merger target some unsolicited advice.—
Melvin Backman,
Quartz,
25 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
The facility believed his past behavior stemmed from his attempts to self-medicate his troubles.—
Alex Heigl,
People.com,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Further Reading See the archive for past and future posts.—
New York Times Games,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Questlove cites Prince and the Revolution as a direct descendant of Stone’s integration-now, segregation-never lineup, which even featured a female trumpet player (his sometime partner Cynthia Robinson).—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
24 Jan. 2025
-
As if life weren’t challenging enough already, Evie is going to be navigating this amongst the eccentricity of her family home, living with her fiercely loving single mum Suz (Suranne Jones), sister Izzie (Liv Hill), and handsome boyfriend (sometime man of the house) Josh (Adam Long).—
Lily Ford,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Three players have played left tackle, and a fourth — D.J. Humphries, signed in late November — may get the nod Saturday over converted guard Joe Thuney.—
Mike Jones,
The Athletic,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Among the companies in the race to produce that truck is Tesla, which has announced plans to begin high-volume production of its semi in late 2025.—
Nara Schoenberg,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near once
Cite this Entry
“Once.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/once. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share