ago

American  

[uh-goh] / əˈgoʊ /

adjective

1. gone; gone by; past (usually preceded by a noun).

   five days ago.

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adverb

1. in past time; in the past.

   All this happened long ago.

ago British  

/ əˈɡəʊ /

adverb

1. in the past

   five years ago

   long ago

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Usage

What does ago mean? Ago means in the past.It’s always used in combination with other words that indicate exactly or about how much time has passed since something happened—never by itself (you wouldn’t say That happened ago).Examples of such phrases are three weeks ago, an hour ago, five days ago, long ago, and a long time ago.Example: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away ….

Etymology

Origin of ago

before 1000; Middle English ago ( n ), Old English āgān, past participle of āgān to go by, pass, equivalent to ā- a- ³ + gān to go ¹

Example Sentences

Working from home when possible is one way to blunt demand and prices at the pump, the agency said more than a week ago.

From MarketWatch

The Sunday Times reported that former SNP councillors had urged Swinney to review the party's complaints process six months ago but had received no reply from the party.

From BBC

The Tata Steel Syndicate began seven years ago at the steel factory in Port Talbot as a light-hearted way to lift their spirits during busy working weeks.

From BBC

It's only a couple of months ago that the prime minister was still prioritising sticking close to the president as much as possible in order to protect the UK-US relationship.

From BBC

“Current trends precisely match scientific projections from decades ago,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times