once upon a time

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

Neil Findlay was a Labour MSP once upon a time.

From BBC

Once upon a time, Kershaw adhered to a strict routine in the weight room.

From Los Angeles Times

Once upon a time, in places like pre-Civil War Virginia and North Carolina, the law forbade enslaved people from gathering for any reason, even to worship.

From Salon

Once upon a time, the Dodgers viewed Horn as one of college baseball’s better pitching prospects.

From Los Angeles Times

“Once upon a time, you were embarrassed to be publicly racist and out there with conspiracy theories. Now it’s all out in the open because he allowed it,” Simmons said in a 2022 interview with Spin.

From Salon

Related Words

• already 
• before 
• earlier www.thesaurus.com
• formerly 
• late 
• previously