once 1 of 3

adverb

ˈwən(t)s How to pronounce once (audio)
Definition of oncenext
as in formerly
at an earlier or previous time I once knew the quotation, but time has taken its toll on my brain cells

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

once

2 of 3

adjective

as in former
having been such at some previous time the once child star is now a lawyer in the entertainment industry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

once

3 of 3

conjunction

as in when
just at the moment that you should have stopped wrestling once you knew someone was getting hurt, not five minutes later

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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
Adverb
The Dania Beach headquarters campus that once served as the nerve center of now-defunct Spirit Airlines has been sold to a Boston hedge fund that served as the stalking horse bidder in a bankruptcy court auction. — David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026 The company was forced to cancel the F-150 Lightning, a truck once heralded as the most important EV ever made. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 13 Aug. 2026
Adjective
The once summer home became a residential dwelling once more. — Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 5 Nov. 2025 The flights through the once Category 5 storm have been particularly hairy, with one of the NOAA aircraft having to return to its base for a safety inspection after exceeding its g-force limits from the turbulence. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for once
Recent Examples of Synonyms for once
  1. formerly
  2. former
  3. old
  4. other
  5. erstwhile
  6. past
  7. sometime
  8. late
Adverb
  • First United Presbyterian formed a partnership with Brightpoint (formerly Children’s Home & Aid) in 2019, looping in the nonprofit’s case workers to help execute and expand this thing that began as a humble bid to put words into action.
    — Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Following the abrupt closure of Philadelphia’s University of the Arts in 2024, the development and design firm Scout purchased Furness Hall and Haviland Hall (formerly Hamilton Hall) buildings on campus, rebranding them as Village of Industry & Art.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of formerly
Adjective
  • With more than 5,000 people aboard, keeping them all unified and focused as one team is difficult in a ship larger than some small towns, said Jennifer Parker, a former Royal Australian Navy officer and nonresident fellow at the Lowy Institute.
    — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Also running are current board members Jessica Biggs and Jennifer Custer, Chicago Teachers Union political director Hilario Dominguez and former board appointee Sendhil Revuluri.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of former
Adjective
  • Body cameras captured the moments Rialto police officers rushed to save a choking 3-year-old child last week.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Tatyana Montero, a 25-year-old Army based in Canada, was given one of Abby Elder's freebies in Las Vegas.
    — Nidhi Singh, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of old
Adjective
  • In a news release shared Tuesday, Verizon said that service interruptions affected people across Los Angeles County and other parts of the region after vandals cut multiple fiber cables.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Since Covid-19, average revenues among the ‘Big Six’ have increased by £189million, more than three times the increase at other Premier League clubs.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of other
Adjective
  • The erstwhile New York resident was loudly and vigorously booed by the hometown crowd as he was shown on the jumbotron of the legendary arena.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 June 2026
  • Despite his meltdown in Colorado’s extra-inning loss to Milwaukee Friday night, the erstwhile starter has been one of baseball’s best relievers this season.
    — Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 7 June 2026
Definition of erstwhile
Adjective
  • Trump has long derided past presidents who used sanctions to limit Iran’s economic ability to pay for its military and nuclear development.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • There is no methodology which precisely calculates this number, but good trial attorneys can usually get within the ballpark based on their past experiences with similar cases.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of past
Adjective
  • Charles builds their cabin with help from a kind widower and Civil War veteran, John Edwards (Warren Christie), who struggles with alcohol; Edwards’ sometime companion (Rebecca Amzallag) is a fiercely independent bar owner.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 9 July 2026
  • If necessary, Game 3 would be sometime Monday.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 3 June 2026
Definition of sometime
Adjective
  • Their bullpen, anchored by Raisel Iglesias and featuring multiple left-handers, offers crucial late-game relief.
    — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • That score held until two outs in the ninth, when Smith delivered the game-tying single that set the Giants’ latest loss in motion.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of late

Phrases Containing once

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onanistic
once
once in a blue moon
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Cite this Entry

“Once.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/once. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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