We all have stories from the past. Some are happy, some are sad, and some are just plain funny. When people talk about these stories, they sometimes use special word pictures called metaphors. These help show feelings or ideas in a fun way. Instead of saying “That was long ago,” someone might say, “That ship has sailed.” The words don’t really mean a boat left the dock, but they help us understand that something is over.
Metaphors make talking about the past more colorful and easier to remember. You might hear these in books, movies, or even from your grandparents. Once you learn them, you can also use them when telling your own stories. Let’s take a closer look at how people use metaphors to talk about the past.
Metaphors about The Past
1. That ship has sailed
Meaning: It’s too late to go back or change something.
Give an Instance: I wanted to try out for the team, but now tryouts are over. That ship has sailed. / She wanted to say sorry, but he moved away. That ship has sailed.
Substitute Meaning: Missed the chance / Too late now
2. Water under the bridge
Meaning: Something in the past that doesn’t matter anymore.
Give an Instance: We fought last year, but now it’s water under the bridge. / She forgot my birthday, but it’s water under the bridge.
Substitute Meaning: All forgiven / Not important anymore
3. A closed book
Meaning: Something from the past that is over or forgotten.
Give an Instance: My soccer days are a closed book now. / That old rule is a closed book at our school.
Substitute Meaning: Done and forgotten / No longer active
4. History repeating itself
Meaning: The same thing is happening again like in the past.
Give an Instance: We argued again, just like last year. History is repeating itself. / The team lost the same way again.
Substitute Meaning: Same problem again / It happened before
5. Buried the hatchet
Meaning: To make peace after a fight.
Give an Instance: After the argument, we buried the hatchet and played together. / They buried the hatchet and worked on the project.
Substitute Meaning: Made peace / Ended the fight
6. Stuck in the past
Meaning: Can’t move on from something old.
Give an Instance: He talks about his old school every day. He’s stuck in the past. / She still wears clothes from years ago.
Substitute Meaning: Won’t move on / Thinking about old times
7. A blast from the past
Meaning: Something that reminds you of earlier times.
Give an Instance: That song is a blast from the past! / Seeing that toy was a blast from the past.
Substitute Meaning: Old memory / Reminder of earlier times
8. Digging up old bones
Meaning: Bringing up past problems.
Give an Instance: Stop digging up old bones we already talked about it. / She keeps digging up old bones from last year.
Substitute Meaning: Bringing up old trouble / Talking about old fights
9. Turned the page
Meaning: Moved on from the past.
Give an Instance: After the mistake, he turned the page and tried again. / She turned the page and started a new school.
Substitute Meaning: Started fresh / Let it go
10. Locked in time
Meaning: Not changed for a long time.
Give an Instance: That diner looks locked in time. / Her bedroom is locked in time from when she was 8.
Substitute Meaning: Stayed the same / Still like the past
11. Skeletons in the closet
Meaning: Hidden secrets from the past.
Give an Instance: He has some skeletons in the closet from middle school. / That story brought out some old skeletons.
Substitute Meaning: Hidden past / Old secret
12. Echoes of yesterday
Meaning: Memories that still affect today.
Give an Instance: Her fear of dogs is from echoes of yesterday. / The old rule still feels like an echo of yesterday.
Substitute Meaning: Past memories / Still feels like before
13. Dusty memories
Meaning: Old memories that haven’t been thought of in a while.
Give an Instance: Looking at baby pictures brought up dusty memories. / That letter held dusty memories from childhood.
Substitute Meaning: Forgotten thoughts / Old memories
14. A trip down memory lane
Meaning: Remembering good times from the past.
Give an Instance: Looking at yearbooks was a trip down memory lane. / Grandma’s stories were a trip down memory lane.
Substitute Meaning: Remembering old times / Thinking about the past
15. Frozen in time
Meaning: Something or someone hasn’t changed.
Give an Instance: The playground is frozen in time. / That photo of us is frozen in time.
Substitute Meaning: Looks the same / Didn’t change
16. Swept under the rug
Meaning: Hidden and forgotten.
Give an Instance: They swept the problem under the rug. / The teacher didn’t talk about the accident it was swept under the rug.
Substitute Meaning: Hidden away / Not talked about
17. An old chapter
Meaning: Part of life that is finished.
Give an Instance: Moving schools was an old chapter. / That friendship is an old chapter now.
Substitute Meaning: Done with / Past time
18. Time stood still
Meaning: A moment that felt like nothing changed.
Give an Instance: At the family reunion, it felt like time stood still. / When I saw my old house, time stood still.
Substitute Meaning: Same as before / Felt like the past
19. Past its prime
Meaning: Not as good as it used to be.
Give an Instance: That toy is past its prime. / The school building is old and past its prime.
Substitute Meaning: Old / Worn out
20. In the rearview mirror
Meaning: Left behind, in the past.
Give an Instance: My old school is in the rearview mirror. / That problem is in the rearview mirror now.
Substitute Meaning: Behind us / Already passed
21. A fading footprint
Meaning: A memory slowly disappearing.
Give an Instance: That summer camp is just a fading footprint now. / Her voice in my mind is like a fading footprint.
Substitute Meaning: Fading memory / Almost forgotten
22. Back in the day
Meaning: Long ago or in the past.
Give an Instance: We used to ride bikes all day back in the day. / Back in the day, cartoons were different.
Substitute Meaning: Long ago / In the old days
23. A shadow from yesterday
Meaning: A feeling or memory from the past that still lingers.
Give an Instance: That fear is a shadow from yesterday. / His mood was a shadow from yesterday’s fight.
Substitute Meaning: Old feeling / Lingering past
24. Ancient history
Meaning: Something from the past that isn’t important now.
Give an Instance: Our old argument is ancient history. / That game loss is ancient history.
Substitute Meaning: No longer matters / Very old news
25. Written in stone
Meaning: Decided long ago and can’t be changed.
Give an Instance: The school rules are written in stone. / My bedtime was written in stone.
Substitute Meaning: Can’t be changed / Fixed decision
26. Lost in time
Meaning: Forgotten or no longer remembered.
Give an Instance: That old song feels lost in time. / Her first toy is lost in time.
Substitute Meaning: Forgotten / Left behind
27. A chapter closed
Meaning: A finished part of life.
Give an Instance: After fifth grade, it felt like a chapter closed. / Moving to a new house closed that chapter.
Substitute Meaning: Done with / Over now
28. A ghost of the past
Meaning: Something that reminds you of what once was.
Give an Instance: That old sweater is a ghost of the past. / The park feels like a ghost of the past.
Substitute Meaning: Reminder of before / Past memory
29. Collecting dust
Meaning: Not used or remembered anymore.
Give an Instance: Her old books are just collecting dust. / That old trophy is collecting dust.
Substitute Meaning: Not touched / Forgotten
30. Cracked mirror of memory
Meaning: Remembering things that are not fully clear.
Give an Instance: My memory of that day is like a cracked mirror. / He tried to remember, but it was just a cracked mirror.
Substitute Meaning: Blurry memory / Not clear
31. A faded photograph
Meaning: An unclear or weak memory.
Give an Instance: That trip feels like a faded photograph. / My first pet is now a faded photograph in my mind.
Substitute Meaning: Weak memory / Hard to recall
32. Time capsule
Meaning: Something from the past kept safe.
Give an Instance: That letter is a time capsule from third grade. / Grandma’s recipe is a time capsule.
Substitute Meaning: Saved memory / From a long time ago
33. Dusted off
Meaning: Something from the past brought back.
Give an Instance: He dusted off his old bike. / I dusted off my diary from last year.
Substitute Meaning: Used again / Brought back
34. A ticking clock
Meaning: Time is moving away from a past moment.
Give an Instance: The day I moved felt like a ticking clock. / The end of school year feels like a ticking clock.
Substitute Meaning: Time moving on / Can’t go back
35. Reopened wounds
Meaning: Past pain that comes back.
Give an Instance: Talking about it reopened wounds. / That memory reopened old wounds.
Substitute Meaning: Past hurt returns / Feels sad again
36. Holding onto the past
Meaning: Not letting go of old things.
Give an Instance: He’s still holding onto the past. / That notebook shows she’s holding onto the past.
Substitute Meaning: Can’t move on / Still thinking of before
37. Flipping through old pages
Meaning: Thinking about past memories.
Give an Instance: Looking at the photo album felt like flipping through old pages. / Her stories were like flipping through old pages.
Substitute Meaning: Remembering / Thinking back
38. Wrote itself into history
Meaning: Something unforgettable from the past.
Give an Instance: That play wrote itself into school history. / Her act of kindness wrote itself into our memory.
Substitute Meaning: Big memory / Can’t forget it
39. Ghost town of thoughts
Meaning: A mind full of forgotten ideas.
Give an Instance: His memory of the day is like a ghost town. / That place feels like a ghost town of thoughts.
Substitute Meaning: Empty feeling / No longer clear
40. A burned bridge
Meaning: A relationship or chance that’s gone forever.
Give an Instance: They fought and burned the bridge. / She burned the bridge with her old friend.
Substitute Meaning: Can’t go back / Relationship ended
41. Yesterday’s news
Meaning: Something that was once important but now forgotten.
Give an Instance: That story is yesterday’s news. / My old shoes are yesterday’s news.
Substitute Meaning: Not important anymore / Old story
42. Etched in memory
Meaning: Something you will always remember.
Give an Instance: That trip is etched in my memory. / Her smile is etched in my memory.
Substitute Meaning: Can’t forget / Always remembered
43. Footprints in the sand
Meaning: Signs of what happened before.
Give an Instance: Our summer fun left footprints in the sand. / The campfire night left footprints in my heart.
Substitute Meaning: Past moments / Left a mark
44. Mirror to the past
Meaning: Something that clearly shows old times.
Give an Instance: That video was a mirror to the past. / Her diary is a mirror to the past.
Substitute Meaning: Reflects old times / Shows how it was
45. Painted in memory
Meaning: Clearly remembered like a picture.
Give an Instance: That day is painted in my memory. / The fair is painted in my mind forever.
Substitute Meaning: Strong memory / Clearly remembered
Find the Metaphors About the Past
Reading Passage
Last week, Ms. Taylor asked our class to write letters to our future selves. As I sat down, I felt like I was flipping through old pages in my mind. I thought about last year’s school play that memory is painted in my memory like it was yesterday. I remember wearing my costume and feeling like time stood still when the curtain rose.
Thinking of my old best friend brought back dusty memories. We used to laugh every day at lunch, but now it feels like a chapter closed. Still, I smiled. Some things are better left as water under the bridge.
Then I looked at a drawing I taped in my notebook. It was something I made in third grade. That paper is like a time capsule, locked in time. I used to think I couldn’t draw, but that picture proved I could. It was like a mirror to the past, showing me how much I’ve grown.
Before I sealed the letter, I added one more thought. That ship has sailed for some moments, but others are etched in memory forever.
Directions for Students
Read the passage again. Underline or list all the metaphors about the past you can find.
Answer Key
- Flipping through old pages
- Painted in my memory
- Time stood still
- Dusty memories
- A chapter closed
- Water under the bridge
- Time capsule
- Locked in time
- Mirror to the past
- That ship has sailed
- Etched in memory
Conclusion
Metaphors help us talk about old times in a fun and clear way. When we use them, we can show how we feel without saying it directly. They make stories stronger and easier to picture.
Now that you’ve learned 45 metaphors about the past, you can spot them in books or use them in your writing. Whether it’s a chapter closed or a time capsule from your life, these word pictures make your memories stand out and feel real.
