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Synonyms

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.


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 that role was played by Nvidia.

From Barron's

Once upon a time, though, American children ate everything.

From The Wall Street Journal

Regardless of how promising the conceit may seem — it’s based on a book titled “Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy,” after all — this is American history for fashion influencers.

From Salon

"Now you come here to ask me favors. But what were you but a raggedy, bare-bottomed little boy like all the rest once upon a time, crying for your mama when Sheba passed by?"

From Literature

Shkreli’s counterclaims are the latest twist in a legal saga over the one-of-a-kind album, titled “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin.”

From The Wall Street Journal