Synonyms of former

former

adjective

ˈfȯr-mər 

1

as in erstwhile

having been such at some previous time

the coach is a former professional baseball player

Synonyms & Similar Words

• erstwhile
• old
• other
• late
• past
• defunct
• onetime
• once
• sometime
• whilom
• quondam
• departed
• bygone
• vanished
• long-ago
• expired
• extinct
• gone
• dead

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• current
• present
• contemporary
• ongoing
• future
• prospective
• present-day
• extant
• coming
• unborn

2

as in previous

going before another in time or order

the former manual had some errors, but the current version has its own problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

• previous
• earliest
• early
• preceding
• precedent
• prior
• anterior
• initial
• original
• antecedent
• foregoing
• first
• pioneer
• erstwhile
• premature
• introductory
• advance
• preliminary
• preexisting
• inaugural
• maiden
• whilom

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• subsequent
• following
• later
• posterior
• after
• succeeding
• ensuing
• latter
• late
• last
• advanced
• final
• latest
• ultimate
• terminal
• concluding
• closing

Synonym Chooser

How is the word former distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of former are antecedent, anterior, foregoing, preceding, previous, and prior. While all these words mean "being before," former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

When would antecedent be a good substitute for former?

The synonyms antecedent and former are sometimes interchangeable, but antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

When could anterior be used to replace former?

The meanings of anterior and former largely overlap; however, anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

When is foregoing a more appropriate choice than former?

The words foregoing and former are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

When can preceding be used instead of former?

While the synonyms preceding and former are close in meaning, preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

How do previous and prior relate to one another, in the sense of former?

Both previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

a child from a previous marriage

a prior obligation

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of former

What To Know The newest crew includes NASA's Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, both military pilots, alongside Japan's Takuya Onishi and Russia's Kirill Peskov, both former airline pilots The new astronauts will learn about the space station over the next few days from Wilmore and Williams. —Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025

By 2019, those visits were routine, according to one former female detainee whose child was placed in Dar al-Rahma. —Mirna Alrached, NPR, 16 Mar. 2025

His wife, Heather Moraitis, is a former Fort Lauderdale city commissioner. —Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2025

Legislators and local officials could change some of this and let the stricken communities try to recapture their former character. —Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025