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.
What was formerly a single-vendor ERP environment is quickly becoming a sprawling SaaS mess of multiple applications. Pankaj Goel, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025 Hawk’s Rock was formerly known as Lough Gill, a distillery in County Sligo, Ireland that produced the Athrú Irish whiskey brand. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 8 June 2025 The rescue took place between Mile Rock Beach and Deadman’s Point on Saturday, June 7, the San Francisco Fire Department said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2025 Conte plays the intimate Cafe Nine in New Haven on June 13 at 9 p.m. with Palmyra Delran (formerly of The Friggs) and Fairfield County hockey enthusiasts The Zambonis. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 7 June 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Formerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formerly. Accessed 14 Jun. 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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