years ago
In the past
Years ago refers to a time in the past, with the number specifying how distant: Five years ago we lived in Boston.
Without a number, it suggests the distant past, more remote than months but vaguer than decades: Years ago, this was all farmland.
The phrase can introduce reminiscence or establish temporal context for stories.
- distant pastLong-ago era
- formerPreviously holding a position
- 20th centuryHundred years ending 1999
- bygoneOf earlier times
- days gone byPrevious periods of time
once upon a time · back in the day · prior · yore · ancient · preceding · historical · golden age · good old days · simpler times · antiquity · elapsed · time warp · past · memory · reminiscence · in my youth · way back when
temporal direction
years agoyears from now
in the future · someday · down the road · eventually · tomorrow
year, ago, years, year's, yesteryear