Bygone: meaning, definitions and examples

Use 'bygone' to refer to things or periods from the distant past, often with a sense of nostalgia or something that is no longer relevant.

• The museum had an exhibit on the customs and traditions of a bygone era.
• She often reminisced about the bygone days of her childhood.

Use 'past' to refer to something that has already happened, it is a neutral term and can be used in various contexts.

• In the past, computers were much larger.
• She couldn’t let go of her past mistakes.

Use 'former' to talk about something that existed in the past but is no longer the case, often used to describe previous roles or positions.

• He is a former employee of the company.
• She met with her former high school teacher.

Use 'olden' to refer to something from a long time ago, often used in a poetic or romantic sense.

• The town still has the charm of its olden days.
• Songs from the olden times were played at the festival.

Use 'previous' to describe something that occurred before another event or time, often used in a more immediate timeframe than 'former'.

• He mentioned his previous trip to Europe.
• The previous chapter of the book was quite interesting.

Use 'ancient' to describe something that is extremely old, typically related to historical times or civilizations.

• The ancient ruins of the Roman Empire attract many tourists.
• She specialized in the study of ancient Greek literature.