once upon a time
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.
“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
It was akin to all those hours I spent online once upon a time, dissecting clues down to their bones.
From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026
The author drops us into an Eden of wonder, where once upon a time we first cracked the codes of Dr. Seuss and “Goodnight Moon.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
And its story begins once upon a time.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026
A good number of the young people who bought Hush Puppies, for instance, were people who once upon a time wouldn’t have been caught dead in them.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
