was

[wuhz, woz, wuhz] / wʌz, wɒz, wəz /

VERB

exist

Synonyms

STRONG

abide act breathe continue do endure hold inhabit last live move obtain persist prevail remain rest stand stay subsist survive

WEAK

be alive go on have being have place

Antonyms

STRONG

cease depart die discontinue forsake give up go halt idle leave lose pass quit refuse reject stop

VERB

happen

Synonyms

STRONG

befall occur transpire

WEAK

come about come to pass take place

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.

“For decades, among Western consumers, ‘Made in China’ was associated with a cheap, lower-quality, simple product,” said Even Pay, a director at consulting firm Trivium China and expert on Chinese agriculture.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 13, 2026

On the front page of the i Paper is the comment from police that there was "no sign of political motive" in the murder.

From BBC • Jul. 13, 2026

Hollywood industry representatives had warned the governor’s office that the new restrictions could affect the state’s production incentive program, which was just bolstered last year to an annual cap of $750 million.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 13, 2026

Fed governor Christopher Waller worried the job market was faltering when he led the case for last year’s reductions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 13, 2026

Gertie learns that Hans was part of the Bataan Death March.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly