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.
Chosen, formerly known as Robbie Anderson, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the New York Jets. Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025 Under his overall deal (formerly at ABC Signature before the studio was absorbed by 20th TV), Countee co-created with Alec Berg the comedy Downforce, which went to pilot at Hulu starring Eve Hewson and Murray Bartlett. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025 The two formerly hard-luck performers, each previously divorced with children, blended their families and achieved enough professional success to open for Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder in Milwaukee. Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025 Follow Valley 101 and all azcentral podcasts on X, formerly Twitter, and on Instagram. Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 27 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 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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