heretofore
adverb
here·to·fore
ˈhir-tə-ˌfȯr 
ˌhir-tə-ˈfȯr
: up to this time : hitherto
heretofore unimaginable possibilities
I tell you now what we have heretofore kept secret from you—
A. C. Whitehead
A. C. WhiteheadExamples of heretofore in a Sentence
Heretofore her writing has never displayed such depth of feeling.
This technology has created heretofore unimaginable possibilities.
Recent Examples on the Web
Having weathered so many punches heretofore, the viewer is more likely to be numb than moved.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
This is particularly newsworthy in part because Powell has been consistent heretofore in giving emphasis to the priority need to restrain inflation.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
The 49ers have been using Lucas, heretofore a nickel cornerback, on the outside this week and Robinson, mainly an outside cornerback, on the inside.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
The ambitious and sprawling exhibition, in the works for years, uses medical objects, educational films, and contemporary art to consider how design has shaped reproduction—something that seems evident but has heretofore been rarely explored.
—Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
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Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
This is particularly newsworthy in part because Powell has been consistent heretofore in giving emphasis to the priority need to restrain inflation.
—Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
The 49ers have been using Lucas, heretofore a nickel cornerback, on the outside this week and Robinson, mainly an outside cornerback, on the inside.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
The ambitious and sprawling exhibition, in the works for years, uses medical objects, educational films, and contemporary art to consider how design has shaped reproduction—something that seems evident but has heretofore been rarely explored.
—Shauna Lyon, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heretofore
Cite this Entry
“Heretofore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heretofore. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
heretofore
adverb
here·to·fore
ˈhi(ə)rt-ə-ˌfō(ə)r
-ˌfȯ(ə)r;
ˌhirt-ə-ˈfō(ə)r,
-ˈfȯ(ə)r
: up to this time
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