once upon a time
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Think of American shipping companies plundering British ships, which was common practice once upon a time.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
“What kept them once upon a time, and still does, was/is sheer breadth, i.e. ‘always having something to watch.’
From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026
The author drops us into an Eden of wonder, where once upon a time we first cracked the codes of Dr. Seuss and “Goodnight Moon.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026
A movie about a famous and, frankly, selfish actor taking stock late in life feels like the kind of exercise in self-reflective narcissism that, once upon a time in Hollywood, Oscar voters adored.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2025
A good number of the young people who bought Hush Puppies, for instance, were people who once upon a time wouldn’t have been caught dead in them.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
