Synonyms

once upon a time

Idioms

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.

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

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

Neil Findlay was a Labour MSP once upon a time.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2025

I’d read once upon a time that storm petrels can appear when it clears after days of rain, but I’ve never seen one.

From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023