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.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

once upon a time

“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

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 22, 2025

It seems almost strange, given that we were all young once upon a time, but figuring out how to communicate with kids can be challenging.

From Salon ● Nov. 5, 2025

Neil Findlay was a Labour MSP once upon a time.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2025

This is a woman who had wanted to be a nun once upon a time, who had pretended to be Joan of Arc.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• already
• before
• earlier
• formerly
• late
• previously