once upon a time

Idioms

On some past occasion, as in I may have sung this piece once upon a time, but I don't really remember it. This phrase, first recorded in 1595, is frequently used as the opening line of fairy tales and stories told to children, as in Once upon a time there was a king who had three beautiful daughters.

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.

“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

When she finds out what Margo’s doing, her internalized shame at having worked at Hooters once upon a time resurfaces.

From Salon • May 4, 2026

And its story begins once upon a time.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

But once upon a time, they came with a stigma.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 22, 2025

It is good to know that once upon a time, there was Gat and me.

From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023