as in former
having been such at some previous time
my erstwhile friend ignored me when I ran into her at the reunion
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of erstwhile
Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
These deals – most recently Brea’s — enrage Norby, the erstwhile former assemblyman.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 10 Apr. 2026
Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Candidates for the fifth spot include former postseason hero Ian Anderson, erstwhile All-Star Bryce Elder, and rookies AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep.
After winning a surprise world championship in 2021, the Braves had two 100-win seasons without reaching the final round again.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for erstwhile
Adjective
Her father is musician and writer David Turin, an erstwhile editor of mine some three decades ago.
—Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 14 Apr. 2026
These deals – most recently Brea’s — enrage Norby, the erstwhile former assemblyman.
—Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 10 Apr. 2026
Adverb
That places an extra burden on holdovers Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, and Reynaldo Lopez, erstwhile All-Stars who had their own injury issues last year.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 18 Feb. 2026
Candidates for the fifth spot include former postseason hero Ian Anderson, erstwhile All-Star Bryce Elder, and rookies AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep.
After winning a surprise world championship in 2021, the Braves had two 100-win seasons without reaching the final round again.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for erstwhile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for erstwhile
Adjective
-
The company recently shot a pilot for a food travel series Soul Table with former CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin, activist LaTosha Brown and Michelin chef Dominique Crenn (Chef’s Table).—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
19 May 2026
-
His appointment suggest a shift in executive profile, from Domenjó, a TV producer and former Satisfaction Iberia and Mediacrest executive, to a long-serving Telefónica operator with deep experience in Latin America and corporate management.—
Emiliano de Pablos,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Adverb
-
Wanted, the musical formerly known as Gun & Powder, is heading to Broadway this fall with Solea Pfeiffer and Liisi LaFontaine starring as the real-life Mary and Martha Clarke, respectively, Black twin sisters who passed as white in 1893 Texas.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
-
Aside from a solo operator or someone more interested in music, that in practice leaves ATG Entertainment, formerly the Ambassador Theatre Group, which, for my money would be far and away the best owner of the theater from a Chicago theatergoer’s point of view.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
One prompted stories of an old cowboy sitting alone on a porch, surveying a ghost town; another prompted stories about a sun rising over a meadow, where tiny creatures awakened and started to frolic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Instead of looking frumpy in an old T-shirt, look polished and refined in this shirt that won’t constrict your movements.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
20 May 2026
Adverb
-
Just behind the cineplex and beyond the route of the busway, are 34 acres once occupied by a scrap metal yard acquired by the city in a foreclosure in 2021.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
A lot had changed since; to many younger people, including Glick’s students, the men’s once radical ideas were common sense.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
One out of every 16 minutes across six hours of NCAA football bowl games referenced gambling — far less than any other sport.—
Luke Connors,
Washington Post,
19 May 2026
-
And while track and field adopted the dual-advancement and dual-medal system, the policy does not easily translate to head-to-head contact sports or other athletic competitions, creating what critics see as a glaring inconsistency across the state.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Erstwhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erstwhile. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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