heretofore
adverb
here·to·fore
ˈhir-tə-ˌfȯr 
ˌhir-tə-ˈfȯr
: up to this time : hitherto
heretofore unimaginable possibilities
I tell you now what we have heretofore kept secret from you—
A. C. Whitehead
A. C. WhiteheadExamples 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
Undertone helmer Tuason is a Toronto-based creative heretofore best known for his live-action virtual reality horror shorts, which have garnered over 14M organic views on YouTube.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
The surname should have been a warning: a signpost to the bunker mentality of the man of the house, who spent most of his down time railing against a world changed for the worse, most notably in the sudden uppity visibility of heretofore subaltern tribes.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 29 Dec. 2025
But the movie cannot shed his woolly energy, which puts any no-name side character at risk of dropping an impassioned soliloquy about some heretofore-unexamined personal drama.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
Having weathered so many punches heretofore, the viewer is more likely to be numb than moved.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heretofore
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Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
The surname should have been a warning: a signpost to the bunker mentality of the man of the house, who spent most of his down time railing against a world changed for the worse, most notably in the sudden uppity visibility of heretofore subaltern tribes.
—Thomas Doherty, HollywoodReporter, 29 Dec. 2025
But the movie cannot shed his woolly energy, which puts any no-name side character at risk of dropping an impassioned soliloquy about some heretofore-unexamined personal drama.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2025
Having weathered so many punches heretofore, the viewer is more likely to be numb than moved.
—Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heretofore
Cite this Entry
“Heretofore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heretofore. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
heretofore
adverb
here·to·fore
ˈhi(ə)rt-ə-ˌfō(ə)r
-ˌfȯ(ə)r;
ˌhirt-ə-ˈfō(ə)r,
-ˈfȯ(ə)r
: up to this time
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