formerly

adverb

for·​mer·​ly ˈfȯr-mər-lē How to pronounce formerly (audio)
ˈfȯr-mə-
Synonyms of formerlynext
1
: at an earlier time : previously
Istanbul was formerly known as Constantinople.
2
obsolete : just before

Synonyms of formerly

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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.
The games between the Indianapolis Clowns and the Party Animals are scheduled for June 25-26 at Fifth Third Park (formerly Comerica Park). — Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 Kevin Roose, co-host of the upcoming NPR podcast Machine Gods, formerly The New York Times' Hard Fork, tracks the handful of characters racing to make AI a commercial reality. — Cooper Katz McKim, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026 Outerlight Entertainment, formerly known as First Look Entertainment, has acquired independent feature film studio Bleecker Street Media. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026 Drew Saad, formerly chief underwriting officer at PURE Insurance, joins as president of property and casualty. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026 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

Browse Nearby Words

formeret
formerly
form factor
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Cite this Entry

“Formerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formerly. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

formerly

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