: one single time : one time at least
Please be on time this once.
: that once was : former
… contributions to enrich the legal resources of the once province of Britain.—
J. N. Pomeroy
J. N. Pomeroy
: at the moment when : as soon as
Once she spoke, I recognized her.
Synonyms
Examples of once in a Sentence
Adverb
I will repeat the question once.
The play was performed only once.
She didn't once thank me.
He didn't look at me once.
It was once done that way.
A river once flowed through this canyon.
It was once a booming mining town.
Their music was once very popular.
Noun
I have tried Indian food more than once.
Please be on time just this once.
For once you seem to know what I'm talking about.
Adjective
the once child star is now a lawyer in the entertainment industry
Conjunction
Once she spoke, I recognized her.
you should have stopped wrestling once you knew someone was getting hurt, not five minutes later
Recent Examples on the WebChristian Holub, EW.com, 10 Aug. 2024
François Truffaut once said that no movie about war could ever truly be anti-war; history has shown the finance world to be virtually shame-proof.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Aug. 2024
Ivan Shaw, Vogue, 18 June 2024
Here are some highlights of ready-to-wear collections Thursday: GIVENCHY GETS FEMININE The once-street and urban Matthew M. Williams uttered a word not often heard describing his designs: Elegant.
—Thomas Adamson, ajc, 2 Mar. 2023
Eric Zerkel, CNN, 7 Aug. 2024
The once Adonis-like Gere, so gorgeous and opaque in Schrader’s American Gigolo, released 44 years ago, here makes for an engagingly pissy guide through Fife’s current physical challenges and his lifetime of passive regret.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for once 
Adverb
Ben once comforted Victor at a dark moment, and now Victor helps Ben keep himself under control just long enough for the Umbrella Academy to save the world one more time.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 10 Aug. 2024
François Truffaut once said that no movie about war could ever truly be anti-war; history has shown the finance world to be virtually shame-proof.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 9 Aug. 2024
Noun
While the front-of-house was abuzz with celebrities vying to be noticed, the once dapper and demure designers in the mold of a Christian Dior or Hubert de Givenchy were now being replaced by upstarts like John Galliano and Alexander McQueen.
—Ivan Shaw, Vogue, 18 June 2024
Here are some highlights of ready-to-wear collections Thursday: GIVENCHY GETS FEMININE The once-street and urban Matthew M. Williams uttered a word not often heard describing his designs: Elegant.
—Thomas Adamson, ajc, 2 Mar. 2023
Adjective
Part of the once icy expanse of the Suicide Glacier has been replaced by an earthen divot that gets filled up like a bathtub each summer, setting the sequence in motion.
—Eric Zerkel, CNN, 7 Aug. 2024
The once Adonis-like Gere, so gorgeous and opaque in Schrader’s American Gigolo, released 44 years ago, here makes for an engagingly pissy guide through Fife’s current physical challenges and his lifetime of passive regret.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for once
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'once.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near once
Cite this Entry
“Once.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/once. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
once
2 of 3 noun
: one single time
just this once
once
3 of 3 conjunction
: as soon as
once that is done, all will be well
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