was
Americanverb
verb
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the past tense (indicative mood) of be 1
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not_standard a form of the subjunctive mood used in place of were, esp in conditional sentences
if the film was to be with you, would you be able to process it?
Etymology
Origin of was
First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English wæs, past tense singular of wesan “to be”; cognate with Old Frisian, Old High German, Gothic was, Old Norse var; cf. wassail
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.
They could charge pretty much whatever they wanted, because it was almost impossible to find a landlord who wasn’t in cahoots with a broker.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Receivership was also a preferred weapon of Morgan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The advisers’ positive outlook, however, was somewhat contradicted by their concern regarding specific policy risks.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Cracker Barrel said it was also on track to meet or exceed its full-year outlook, and said it sold 26 of its company-owned locations and would lease them back.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Winter weather forced the men to find a safe harbor for five months, during which time there was an attempted mutiny.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
