PASTS Synonyms: 23 Similar and Opposite Words

pasts

noun

plural of past

as in histories

the events or experience of former times we spent a pleasant evening recalling the past together

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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 pasts As Ruben and Gus form an unlikely friendship, the bond is jeopardized when both men’s pasts threaten to catch up with them. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026 A number of pasts—Dutch, Puritan English, and revolutionary era—have been subsumed in the telling, and the changes Rip finds on returning to his village suggest Irving’s own ambivalence about the direction the United States was taking. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026 Based on its trailer, Wild Horse Nine, which premieres in competition on September 3, seems to find McDonagh back in his sweet spot, helming a pitch-black comedy about two charismatic men wrestling with their dark pasts. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026 As they are pulled into conflicts that stir dark memories from their own pasts, the boundaries between play and dangerous power struggles dissolve — and victims and perpetrators become impossible to tell apart. — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026 In races across the country, former GOP politicians are leaning into their pasts. — Mariana Alfaro, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2026 Complex pasts For decades, Japan continued with this strategy and even developed an Islam policy in the 1930s. — Mimi Hanaoka, The Conversation, 11 Aug. 2026 Throughout the third season, viewers witness Jackie and Cole navigate not only their evolving relationship and heartbreaking breakup but also their struggles with their pasts and their journey to rediscover their true selves. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026 In the past, fashion and art institutions have struggled to properly reflect their subjects’ prejudiced pasts. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pasts

Noun

Try to choose sellers with long histories of satisfied customers, and make sure the online bid amount is listed in American dollars.

— DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Their work reflected different histories, institutions and resources.

— Lauren Footman, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of histories

Noun

The two candidates who advance to the general election would be wise to offer Californians a hope for the future that doesn’t call back to our yesterdays.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
Today, as in all of mankind’s yesterdays, guarantees this type of song will never go out of style.

— Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026

Definition of yesterdays

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pastry

pasts

pasturage

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“Pasts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pasts. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pasts

noun

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