formerly

adverb

for·​mer·​ly ˈfȯr-mər-lē How to pronounce formerly (audio)
ˈfȯr-mə-
1
: at an earlier time : previously
2
obsolete : just before

Examples of formerly in a Sentence

He was formerly a congressman. the newspaper formerly known as “The Newsprint”
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With no imminent replacement, Silvia Venturini Fendi, who formerly oversaw menswear and accessories, has taken over as creative director. Laia Farran Graves, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025 On the season finale of the HGTV competition show (airing March 5), Christina Haack (formerly Hall), 41, faces her final challenge in the house flipping showdown against her first ex-husband, Tarek El Moussa, 43, and his wife, Heather Rae El Moussa, 37. Moná Thomas, People.com, 6 Mar. 2025 The announcement has been viewed by over one million people on X (formerly known as Twitter) and had fans elated that the brilliant mind behind Succession was back in business with HBO for an original project. Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025 Tilda Swinton formerly brought the literary character to life in the original film adaptations. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 6 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for formerly

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of formerly was in 1534

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Cite this Entry

“Formerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formerly. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

formerly

adverb
for·​mer·​ly ˈfȯr-mər-lē How to pronounce formerly (audio)
: at an earlier time : previously

More from Merriam-Webster on formerly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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