formerly
Americanadverb
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in time past; in an earlier period or age; previously.
a custom formerly observed.
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Obsolete. in time just past; just now.
adverb
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at or in a former time; in the past
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obsolete in the immediate past; just now
Etymology
Origin of formerly
Compare meaning
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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.
Bowden, formerly the general manager of the Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals, serves as a baseball insider on several media platforms.
From Los Angeles Times
Increasingly, beauty and health brands are reframing formerly taboo ailments and issues, using them as a way to build community.
The “House of Ashur” alternate timeline shows Ashur’s formerly enslaved Syrian having won his freedom and the patronage of Marcus Licinius Crassus, one of the triumvirate of generals uneasily sharing power.
From Salon
That hasn’t stopped a steady stream of upbeat 2026 outlooks from strategists, nearly all of which see high-single or double-digit percentage gains for the benchmark index, including from formerly cautious voices.
From Barron's
In all, local officials have said the combination of state and expected federal cuts could force more than 14,500 formerly homeless households in L.A.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
