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 army Mladic created to fight in Bosnia was a model of ruthlessness, daring and brutality in the Serb warrior tradition, once prized in the life-or-death partisan struggle against the Nazi occupation of Yugoslavia in World War Two. — Ivana Sekularac, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Upgrades in recent years have not taken away the old-school feel of a venue that once hosted NFL exhibition games in the 1950s and ‘60s. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 27 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
  • Vanita Gupta, formerly Biden's associate attorney general and now director of the Center for Law and Public Trust at New York University's law school, is among them.
    — Eric McDaniel, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
  • On Thursday, Miss USA crowned Justus Kelley, formerly Miss Virginia, as its winner.
    — Grey Battle, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of formerly
Adjective
  • Paul Johnson, former director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, attributes the root cause to sluggish economic growth.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Per the settlement, former director Patty Hector, who was fired by the county's chief executive following a dispute over censorship, will receive $225,000.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of former
Adjective
  • Nuclear Children follows 18-year-old Isla Sparrow who, after the death of her father in a submarine accident, hopes to escape her grieving family and flee to university.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But in older adults, the relationship between body weight and health may be more complicated than a number on the scale.
    — Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of old
Adjective
  • People can lose weight because of cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.
    — Faye Chiu, CNN Money, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Among other packaging tweaks, the 3-ounce and 8-ounce mists, as well as the 8-ounce wash, now use custom bottles that were developed specifically for this line.
    — Kathryn Hopkins, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of other
Adjective
  • Canada on Tuesday announced retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% percent on around $20 billion worth of US products, in an expanding trade war between the erstwhile allies.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Constructed in the late 19th century, the erstwhile residence joined Grand Hotel Timeo in 1929 when the properties’ owners married.
    — Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of erstwhile
Adjective
  • For example, expressing appreciation for past help or thanking the doctor for their time was more helpful than emphasizing sadness or frustration.
    — Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Last week, Congo began vaccinating health and other front-line workers with the Ervebo vaccine that was effective in past Ebola outbreaks caused by a different, more common type called Zaire.
    — Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of past
Adjective
  • By the end of his life, Irving had established himself as a respected biographer and a sometime international diplomat.
    — Eric Lach, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Jimmy Tatro will play Gorilla Grodd, the superintelligent ape and sometime Superman nemesis.
    — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of sometime
Adjective
  • Many questions are set to be answered on Tuesday, and The Athletic will bring you all the latest through our dedicated live coverage.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • At this late juncture in the season, the instability of the Akira One’s revolving-door crew is taking its toll.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 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 1 Sep. 2026.

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