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
How does formerly compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Use the adverb formerly to describe something that happened earlier. A history teacher might explain that the city of Istanbul was formerly known as Constantinople. Something that existed previously, or that has changed in some way over time, can be talked about using the word formerly. Your graceful math teacher might have formerly been a professional dancer, and the building where you take fencing lessons could have formerly been a textile mill. If something happened once upon a time, it happened formerly. The origin of the word traces all the way back to the Proto-Germanic formo, or "first."
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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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.
The conference leaders also called on countries formerly involved in the slave trade to offer their "full, formal and unconditional apologies".
From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026
The company formerly known for its Allbirds sneakers has taken another step in its pivot toward becoming an artificial-intelligence company with a new name and CEO.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026
In a move to bolster its business offerings and assuage investor concerns about AI making some software offerings obsolete, Salesforce said it had agreed to acquire Fin, formerly known as Intercom.
From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026
JC: Think about it: The world of sports has entered a bizarre new dimension, one in which formerly sad-sack teams are now the ones downing champagne and getting showered in confetti.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
Hobbits are an unobtrusive but very ancient people, more numerous formerly than they are today; for they love peace and quiet and good tilled earth: a well-ordered and well-farmed countryside was their favourite haunt.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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.
