heretofore

adverb

here·​to·​fore ˈhir-tə-ˌfȯr How to pronounce heretofore (audio)
ˌhir-tə-ˈfȯr
: up to this time : hitherto
heretofore unimaginable possibilities
I tell you now what we have heretofore kept secret from youA. C. Whitehead

Examples 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
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.
There’s weed and benzos strewn on the coffee table, Ji-Na telling Fatima to run away fast, that she can’t be fixed, implying some kind of debilitating depression or mental illness Fatima’s Korean-French girlfriend was heretofore able to keep at bay. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 May 2025 And yet the invitation to explore Surrealism without Breton has the potential to be more generative than curators have heretofore allowed (even without entering into fantasies that his adversaries beat him up and chased him out of town). Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 And, just like that, the audience gets to see a side of Ellie heretofore rarely revealed. Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 31 Mar. 2025 And, just like that, the audience gets to see a side of Ellie heretofore rarely revealed. Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for heretofore

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of heretofore was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Heretofore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heretofore. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

heretofore

adverb
here·​to·​fore ˈhi(ə)rt-ə-ˌfō(ə)r How to pronounce heretofore (audio)
-ˌfȯ(ə)r;
ˌhirt-ə-ˈfō(ə)r,
-ˈfȯ(ə)r
: up to this time

More from Merriam-Webster on heretofore

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!