formerly

adverb

for·​mer·​ly ˈfȯr-mər-lē 

ˈfȯr-mə-

1

: at an earlier time : previously

Istanbul was formerly known as Constantinople.

2

obsolete : just before

Synonyms of formerly

• once

Examples of formerly in a Sentence

He was formerly a congressman.

the newspaper formerly known as “The Newsprint”

Recent Examples on the Web

These statuettes were seized from hedge fund manager Michael Steinhardt, formerly one of the world’s largest ancient art collectors. — News Desk, Artforum, 25 Sep. 2026

Frisby joins Prototype after spending over a decade at Artists & Representatives (formerly Stone Manners Salners Agency). — Denise Petski, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026

That event also included many tech luminaries, such as Tim Cook, formerly Apple’s CEO, and Musk. — Will Weissert, Chicago Tribune, 25 Sep. 2026

Founded by Rachel Dillon in 2019, CSB — formerly named Crop Shop Boutique — merges functional activewear with elevated design. — Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

formerly

adverb

for·​mer·​ly ˈfȯr-mər-lē 

: at an earlier time : previously