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
Examples of formerly in a Sentence
He was formerly a congressman.
the newspaper formerly known as “The Newsprint”
Recent Examples on the Web
The lawsuit quotes comments on X, formerly known as Twitter, suggesting that at least some customers were moved to purchase Samsung TVs by the apparent endorsement.
—
Gene Maddaus, Variety, 10 May 2026
The shorter regular season, smaller playoff field relative to the size of the sport, historic rivalries and the organization of teams into (formerly) regional conferences created a unique dynamic.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026
The athlete also played for the Cleveland Guardians (formerly the Indians), the Los Angeles Angels and the San Diego Padres — but his heart always belonged to Fenway Park.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
The formerly high-end shopping destination, featured as a backdrop for a scene in a 1985 John Hughes movie, has more recently devolved into desolation.
—Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for formerly
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Gene Maddaus, Variety, 10 May 2026
The shorter regular season, smaller playoff field relative to the size of the sport, historic rivalries and the organization of teams into (formerly) regional conferences created a unique dynamic.
—Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2026
The athlete also played for the Cleveland Guardians (formerly the Indians), the Los Angeles Angels and the San Diego Padres — but his heart always belonged to Fenway Park.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 10 May 2026
The formerly high-end shopping destination, featured as a backdrop for a scene in a 1985 John Hughes movie, has more recently devolved into desolation.
—Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for formerly
Cite this Entry
“Formerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formerly. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
formerly
adverb
for·mer·ly
ˈfȯr-mər-lē
: at an earlier time : previously
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