a past life

Meanings

1. 1phrasecountable

   A previous existence that a person is believed to have lived before being born again.

   Grammar: Countable; often used after 'in' or 'from': in a past life, from a past life.

   Patterns

   • in a past life
   • believe in past lives
   • a past life regression

   Some people believe they were a different person in a past life.

   She says she can remember details from a past life.

   The idea of a past life is central to several religions.

2. 2phrasecountablefigurativehumorous

   A period earlier in one's own life, especially one very different from the present.

   Grammar: Often used humorously or nostalgically to contrast with the present.

   Patterns

   • in a past life
   • like a past life

   I was a dancer in a past life, before I became a lawyer.

   He talks about his time as a musician as if it were a past life.

   In a past life I would have stayed out all night; now I'm in bed by ten.

Word forms

Common combinations

in a past life

In a past life, she was a soldier.

believe in past lives

Many cultures believe in past lives.

past life regression

Past life regression is a technique used in some therapies.

a past life memory

He claims to have a past life memory of living in Egypt.

Synonyms and how they differ

previous existence

More formal and less common; it can also mean simply 'an earlier life' without any spiritual idea.

former life

Used mainly for the second, figurative sense (an earlier period of your life), not for reincarnation.

Word family

past-life adjective

Used before a noun, as in 'past-life memories'.

Commonly confused: a past life or afterlife?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “a past life”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words