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

Sure, once upon a time, a starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, LeBron James, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis would have beaten almost anybody.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

“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

Max had done the same thing, too, once upon a time.

From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway

Related Words

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