in the past

基本解释

What if we want to see what happened in the past?
如果我们希望查看过去发生的情况，又该如何呢？
Some people amnestied in the past could face legal action in the future.
过去被赦免的某些人以后仍可能被起诉。
This is the school to which your farther subscribed generously in the past.
这就是你父亲生前为之慷慨捐助的学校。

Mister Schroeder says that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are much higher now than they were in the past.
I think it's much severe than what you have experienced in the past year or two for the general economic situation.
甚至比过去两年的经济形势,还要严峻。
斯坦福公开课 - 百度CEO李彦宏演讲：全球最大搜索引擎的发展课程节选
Use this pattern whenever you want to find out about the timing of an event in the past, present, or future.
当你想知道过去、现在或者未来某件事发生的时间时，你都可以使用这个句型。
When 课堂 - SpeakingMax英语口语达人

In the past couple of years the big benefits management firms have joined the fray.
FORBES: Hired Guns