erstwhile
Americanadjective
adverb
adjective
adverb
Etymology
Origin of erstwhile
Explanation
If your dad used to play in a punk band, but is now a computer programmer, you could call him an erstwhile punk rocker. Erstwhile means "former." Erstwhile comes from Old English and is a formal way to say "former." You can go to your class reunion 20 years after you graduate high school and see your erstwhile friends. That means that they had been your friends, but you lost touch with them, so that they weren't friends of yours anymore. Erstwhile can also be used as an adverb, meaning “formerly or once” — “Erstwhile, I was a member of the high school debate team.”
Vocabulary lists containing erstwhile
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Ancient Wisdom: Synonyms for "Old"
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Word Warriors: Four Years of Words Worth Reviving
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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.
Both were denied by the erstwhile underdog Van Aert.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
Nevertheless, his message dovetailed with some fresh commentary noting how erstwhile darlings of Big Tech, in particular, have been so badly hit that they are now highly attractive.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026
The erstwhile interim U.S. attorney, then, is in a pickle of his own making.
From Slate • Mar. 11, 2026
The five-seat compact SUV is built on the same fourth-generation platform as the erstwhile Mazda CX-3, Mazda CX-30 and outgoing CX-5—the cleverly named Small Product Group platform, dating from 2019.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026
However, his draws against superstar Tai; his erstwhile Moscow Chess Club opponent Tigran Petrosian; and Svetozar Gligoric of Yugoslavia were all great accomplishments, as was his win against Larsen of Denmark.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
