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
According to the city, the number of firefighters and police has remained virtually unchanged over the past decade.
—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
This year’s measure differs from those in the past.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 6 Nov. 2024
Every four years for at least the past seven decades, Nancy Ike dutifully cast her vote for U.S. president, said her daughter, Leslie Becker.
—Amber Hunt, The Enquirer, 6 Nov. 2024
In every election over the past seven decades, the front-runners have been candidates from these two parties.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for the past 
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
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Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
This year’s measure differs from those in the past.
—Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 6 Nov. 2024
Every four years for at least the past seven decades, Nancy Ike dutifully cast her vote for U.S. president, said her daughter, Leslie Becker.
—Amber Hunt, The Enquirer, 6 Nov. 2024
In every election over the past seven decades, the front-runners have been candidates from these two parties.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 6 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 14 Nov. 2024.
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