yesterday
Americanadverb
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on the day preceding this day.
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a short time ago.
Yesterday your money went further.
noun
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the day preceding this day.
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time in the immediate past.
adjective
noun
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the day immediately preceding today
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(often plural) the recent past
adverb
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on or during the day before today
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in the recent past
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of yesterday
before 950; Middle English; Old English geostran dæg. See yester-, day
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.
But listen carefully to his interview with Chris Mason yesterday.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
Maybe we’ll all soon be able to write off our actions up to yesterday.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026
Iranian media reported yesterday that Iran was suspending peace talks with the U.S. because of Israel’s ongoing military actions in Lebanon.
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
“I had good warmups yesterday and today, and I knew I had it in me.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026
The joy, the disbelief, the shock of having lived and having outrun a volcano was still present as if it had been only yesterday.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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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.