past Sunday vs last Sunday

"Past Sunday" and "last Sunday" are both commonplace ways to reference the occurrence of the most recent Sunday. They are interchangeable in most contexts, but "last Sunday" is more widely accepted and preferred in formal writing.

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Last updated: February 22, 2025 • 6235 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in informal speech and writing.

"past Sunday"

This phrase is used to refer to the Sunday that just occurred in the past. It is more commonly used in informal contexts.

Examples:

I went to the beach this past Sunday.
We had a family dinner this past Sunday.
She visited her grandparents this past Sunday.
This past Sunday was very relaxing.
They went hiking this past Sunday.

Show examples from the web [+]

As many of you know, My husband captain paul collins Was murdered this past Sunday.
outside of your property this past Sunday? - Sunday?
I offered up a rosary for him, past Sunday mass.
This past Sunday, what do you think that sermon was about?
I was at that beach that we drove past last Sunday.
Looking at it go past was the Sunday luxury of our grandfathers.
On a Sunday this past August in the Los Angeles Coliseum... over 100,000 black people came together... to commemorate that moment in American history.
Because every Sunday we see him go past near the lake.
Kale called the same number every Sunday morning for the past four years.
Last Sunday we marched past Louvencourt,
Because every Sunday night for the past 9 months he tosses $2,000 cash through the mail slot.
So, pupils past and present are welcome at the commemorative service for Mrs Kent a week on Sunday.
BETTY: He's called me every Sunday for the past three years.
We walked all night and made it back to Castle Rock a little past 5:00 on Sunday morning, the day before Labour Day.
Only on Sundays, and just for the past few weeks.
The car-free day all over Europe on Sunday is witness to an enormous commitment of a kind that we should make much more often than we have in the past.
So for the past two months when we were letting you use our apartment to practice the piano every Sunday night, what were you doing?

Alternatives:

last Sunday
this past Sunday
the previous Sunday
the Sunday before last
the Sunday of last week

This phrase is correct and widely accepted in both formal and informal contexts.

"last Sunday"

This phrase is used to refer to the most recent Sunday that has passed. It is more commonly used in formal writing and speech.

Examples:

We went to church last Sunday.
She cooked a delicious meal last Sunday.
I saw him at the park last Sunday.
Last Sunday was a busy day for us.
They watched a movie last Sunday.

Show examples from the web [+]

My boss made me work last Sunday.
Leather boots and nettles last Sunday.
At the elections in Macedonia last Sunday, the old Communist regime was voted out.
I had a date with her last Sunday.
It's planned for the last Sunday in June.
I welcome the agreement to continue to begin summer time on the last Sunday in March and to end it on the last Sunday in October.
Lauren had a vegetarian chopped salad last Sunday.
Lumumba, the former prime-minister of Congo... was killed by villagers last Sunday.
It's for playing to win last Sunday.
Also last Sunday I was late.
Her father was my brother... and he was murdered last Sunday.
The pictures from last Sunday. I developed them.
I haven't seen him since last Sunday.
That child is sick and has been in the hospital since last Sunday.
I didn't have a good time last Sunday.
My family went to the zoo to see pandas last Sunday.
I went to the park last Sunday.
He has been sick since last Sunday.
I returned from the Palestinian territories last Sunday together with a delegation from Parliament.
Just last Sunday, 447 Kurdish refugees landed in Greece.

Alternatives:

past Sunday
this past Sunday
the previous Sunday
the Sunday before last
the Sunday of last week

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past Sunday vs last Sunday

"past Sunday"

"last Sunday"

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