erstwhile

American  

[urst-hwahyl, -wahyl] / ˈɜrstˌʰwaɪl, -ˌwaɪl /

adjective

1. former; of times past.

   erstwhile friends.

   Synonyms:

   previous, bygone, past

   Antonyms:

   present, current

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adverb

1. Archaic. formerly; erst.

erstwhile British  

/ ˈɜːstˌwaɪl /

adjective

1. former; one-time

   my erstwhile companions

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adverb

1. archaic long ago; formerly

Etymology

Origin of erstwhile

First recorded in 1560–70; erst + while

Example Sentences

The Suez moment marked the psychological transformation of two erstwhile great powers into medium powers with limited ability to influence the world around them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

The erstwhile interim U.S. attorney, then, is in a pickle of his own making.

From Slate • Mar. 11, 2026

By the early aughts, erstwhile edgy rock stars like Courtney Love and Nina Gordon swapped their torn fishnets and rumpled slip dresses for French manicures and blown-out coifs.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

He suggests that if the tech sector does start to meaningfully falter this may deliver a psychological shift among investors whereby the erstwhile winners are given the losers tag.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 2, 2026

I am terrified, especially at the beginning, of being recognized by some friendly business owner or erstwhile neighbor and having to stammer out some explanation of my project.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich