erstwhile 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of erstwhilenext
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

erstwhile

2 of 2

adverb

ˈərst-ˌ(h)wī(-ə)l How to pronounce erstwhile (audio)
as in formerly
at an earlier or previous time there's now a store where erstwhile lay green and pleasant pastures

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of erstwhile
Adjective
Despite his meltdown in Colorado’s extra-inning loss to Milwaukee Friday night, the erstwhile starter has been one of baseball’s best relievers this season. — Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 7 June 2026 Then, in 2017, Tesla mainstreamed the Model S with the more affordable Model 3, surpassing the erstwhile eco-warrior favorite Prius. — Brooke Crothers, Forbes.com, 10 May 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 In South Africa’s middle class suburban areas, including Randburg, where there’s more visible policing, lockdown measures are being tightly enforced, leaving several erstwhile busy stalls and shopping areas empty. — Quartz Africa, 4 Apr. 2020 See All Example Sentences for erstwhile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for erstwhile
  1. former
  2. formerly
  3. old
  4. once
  5. other
Adjective
  • Subramanyam said his calls were monitored between March and May, noting that at the time the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee was pushing for former Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Thompson, who is the son of a former state lawmaker, was sentenced to 58 years in prison.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of former
Adverb
  • Vanita Gupta, formerly Biden's associate attorney general and now director of the Center for Law and Public Trust at New York University's law school, is among them.
    — Eric McDaniel, NPR, 28 Aug. 2026
  • On Thursday, Miss USA crowned Justus Kelley, formerly Miss Virginia, as its winner.
    — Grey Battle, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of formerly
Adjective
  • The Dune star has five older half siblings from her father’s previous relationship.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Newcastle had depleted full-back resources and Jaissle was convinced the 24-year-old’s athleticism was ideal.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of old
Adverb
  • Other companies are testing longer-acting biologics, including one experimental drug aiming for a single injection just once a year, compared with the every-two-month schedule most patients follow now.
    — Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • For truly palatial digs, the massive Louis XVI–style Royal Suite (pictured) was once the boardroom and private office of the chairman of one of Spain’s major banks and features a gold leaf ceiling and a marble fireplace.
    — Eddi Fiegel, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of once
Adjective
  • Yes, Minteh and Sarr both operate on the right and buying one of them arguably would have provided a better balance to Iraola’s attacking department given that his other wide players prefer the left flank.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • That happened again when the five other conservatives – but not Roberts and the three liberals − said the administration could slash hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of health research funding.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of other

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Cite this Entry

“Erstwhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erstwhile. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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