formerly

[fawr-mer-lee] / ˈfɔr mər li /

ADVERB

previously in time or order

Synonyms

STRONGEST

already earlier heretofore once

STRONG

erstwhile

WEAK

a while back aforetime anciently at one time away back back back when before before now before this down memory lane eons ago erewhile in former times in the olden days in the past lately long ago of old of yore olden days once upon a time radically some time ago time was used to be water under the bridge

Antonyms

WEAK

currently future presently subsequently

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Tsunamis, formerly known as tidal waves, raz-de-marée in France or maremoti in Italy, are among the most destructive natural phenomena.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2026

The company purchased the space, which was formerly a hardware store, in 2024.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026

Don’t forget xAI merged with debt-laden X, formerly Twitter, in 2025.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

A basket of the Mag Seven hit an all-time high on Friday, but the AI “hyperscalers” among them no longer resemble their formerly lean selves.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

They went over the whole surrounding country trying to get the names of people who had formerly lived in the house.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

Vocabulary lists containing formerly

Commonly Confused Words, List 1

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Commonly Confused Words, List 3

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Commonly Confused Words, List 7

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