ago

adjective or adverb

: earlier than the present time
10 years ago

Examples of ago in a Sentence

he left here long ago
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Sales rose from the year-ago quarter to $1.69 billion. Dean Seal, WSJ, 6 Apr. 2023 His memory of these long-ago events might be radically different from yours. Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 5 Jan. 2023 In 2015, a Canadian researcher discovered that in a long-ago lawsuit, Cabrillo had testified that he was born in Spain. Gustavo Arellanocolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2022 Yet, like the Biblical Ten Commandments — also written on stone like the king’s code — we the people today still are governed by laws Hammurabi influenced — especially his long-ago view of fairness and justice needed to remove chaos from society. Dallas News, 2 Nov. 2022 See all Example Sentences for ago 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ago, agon, from past participle of agon "to go away, pass by, pass away, come to an end," going back to Old English āgān "to go away, depart, (of time) pass," from ā-, perfective prefix + gān "to go entry 1" — more at abide

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ago was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near ago

Cite this Entry

“Ago.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ago. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

ago

adjective or adverb
: earlier than the present time
many years ago

More from Merriam-Webster on ago

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