since
Americanadverb
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from then till now (often preceded byever ).
He was elected in 1978 and has been president ever since.
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between a particular past time and the present; subsequently.
She at first refused, but has since consented.
-
before now; ago.
long since.
preposition
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continuously from or counting from.
It has been warm since noon.
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between a past time or event and the present.
There have been many changes since the war.
conjunction
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in the period following the time when.
He has written once since he left.
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continuously from or counting from the time when.
He has been busy since he came.
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because; inasmuch as.
Since you're already here, you might as well stay.
preposition
conjunction
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(sometimes preceded by ever) continuously from or starting from the time when
since we last met, important things have happened
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seeing that; because
since you have no money, you can't come
adverb
Usage
See as 1.
Etymology
Origin of since
First recorded in 1400–50; Late Middle English (adverb) syns, sinnes “thereupon, afterwards,” Middle English (adverb and conjunction) sithenes “afterwards, from (the specified time), because,” equivalent to sithen “after that, since” ( Old English siththan, originally sīth thām “after that”) + -es; see origin at sith, -s 1
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.
Although Amazon shares dropped shortly after the company revealed its spending plans, Bernstein’s Shmulik said investors have since “made peace” with it.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
SoftBank, which has committed more than $60 billion to OpenAI, fell more than 9% in trading in Tokyo—its worst one-day performance since November.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
Il Fatto Quotidiano has since uncovered what it says are irregularities in the adoption process and misleading information submitted in the case for pardon.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
FilmLA noted the overall contraction of the reality TV segment, as unscripted shows with premieres in the U.S. have declined by about 33% since 2022, according to research group Luminate.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
I ask after I tell Dr. Crowchild everything that’s happened since I last saw her.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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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.