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
Work that once required a team of specialists can now be handled by a fraction of that team, with the right augmentation. — Vikas Verma, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 The residents became the kind of friends who moved easily between one another’s houses, watched one another’s children grow up, and even traveled together—a group of 17 once decamped to Greece with the kids in tow. — Kristen Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Joseph Duggar's arrest is the latest fall from grace for the once picture-perfect Duggar family. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026 The once summer home became a residential dwelling once more. — Nandika Chatterjee, Time, 5 Nov. 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
  • Snap, the parent company that owns Snapchat, led the pack along with X, formerly known as Twitter, and Microsoft.
    — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Superhuman, the productivity company formerly known as Grammarly, agreed in June to acquire GPTZero for undisclosed terms.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of formerly
Adjective
  • Auriemma also checked in on another of his former players, Tiffany Hayes, 37, who is playing a big role for Golden State.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Unless, of course, there’s another former RHOC Housewife waiting in the wings to rescue her.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of former
Adjective
  • The proximity to his father was what worried Lorena Zschaber, a 40-year-old photographer, who watched the results roll in at an LGBTQ+ friendly bar in downtown Rio de Janeiro.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The 168-year-old magazine’s breakout journalism, its digital success, and a bit of good timing have given both Goldberg and Thompson plenty to brag about on the media podcast circuit.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of old
Adjective
  • Anderson of Johns Hopkins has been working with a dozen other researchers, through grants from Arnold Ventures, to study prices more and contemplate state-level legislation that mirrors the CBO’s options.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The incident became even more troubling after reports that models had turned up on a dozen other websites.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of other
Adjective
  • These yachties aren’t as calloused as the erstwhile SURvers, so for the most part, the tour goes well.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The Project’s ranks now include about 80 fishermen manning 15 boats who also support the tagging and research of their erstwhile prey (their work has led to the recent world-first tagging of 10 tiger sharks in Indonesian waters).
    — Juliet Kinsman, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of erstwhile
Adjective
  • The governor, those critics said, missed an opportunity to take historic apologies he’s made for the state’s past wrongs against Indigenous people and turn them into more concrete changes.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Review a prospect’s past giving, volunteer work, board memberships and public interests to understand what truly motivates them.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of past
Adjective
  • Titled Becky and Miranda, the series will be a dark comedy from veteran YouTube creator Nolke and co-star her sometime-collaborator Nicole Power (Kim’s Convenience).
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of sometime
Adjective
  • Its winding path — and its goose motif — serve as the inspiration for Fortunae, Ginori 1735’s latest collection of collectible porcelain and home decor.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • In late summer, iLanders began appearing in writers’ inboxes unprompted with increasing frequency.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of late

Phrases Containing once

Browse Nearby Words

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 9 Oct. 2026.

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