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Synonyms

once upon a time

Idioms  

  1. 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.

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

Arrowhead's legendary status comes partly from her lineage; she is the daughter of Krishna and granddaughter of Machli - majestic tigresses who, once upon a time, dominated vast home ranges in Ranthambore with ferocity.

From BBC • Jun. 24, 2025

But once upon a time, he was the self-loathing performer we see depicted.

From New York Times • May 2, 2024

I expected them to be shocked that, once upon a time on Wall Street, the CEOs had only the vaguest idea of the complicated risks their bond traders were running.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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.