the past

noun
UK: /ðə pɑːst/
US: /ðə pæst/

  1. The time before the present.

    1. I don't think about the past. [ ] [ ]
    2. It is important to learn from the past and not repeat mistakes. [ ] [ ]

  2. Events that happened before now.

    1. The museum shows us the past. [ ] [ ]
    2. Historians study the past to understand how societies have changed over time. [ ] [ ]

  3. Someone's history or personal life.

    1. Her past is not important now. [ ] [ ]
    2. He had a difficult past, but he has worked hard to build a better future. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

yesteryear
the past adjective

  1. Gone by in time; former.

    1. That is a thing of the past. [ ] [ ]
    2. We need to learn lessons from past mistakes so as not to repeat them. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "the past" in English means: The time before the present., Events that happened before now., Someone's history or personal life..

The phonetic transcription of "the past" is /ðə pɑːst/ in British English and /ðə pæst/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "the past": yesteryear.

Example usage of "the past": "I don't think about the past.". More examples on the page.