onetime

1 of 2

adjective

one·​time ˈwən-ˈtīm 

1

: former, sometime

a onetime actor

2

: occurring only once : one-shot

onetime

2 of 2

adverb

: formerly

Synonyms of onetime

Adjective

• occasional

Adverb

• formerly
• once

Examples of onetime in a Sentence

Adjective

a onetime actor now turned singer

with any luck, that was a onetime mistake

Adverb

an athlete who onetime competed in marathons on a regular basis

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The letter, sent Friday, comes amid a high-stakes legal battle currently playing out in an Oakland federal courtroom between onetime partners Altman and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, who in 2015 co-founded the AI company best known for creating ChatGPT. —Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026

Betty Broderick, a onetime socialite convicted of murdering her ex-husband and his new wife back in 1989, has died. —Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026

Adverb

Some of the clips show onetime Orbán loyalists venting dissatisfaction with the government. —Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026

David, a University of Colorado political science graduate, had met Saperstein, a former executive chef and onetime James Beard Award semifinalist (for Pompano Beach’s Cafe Maxx), a decade earlier. —Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for onetime

• aforetime
• allozyme
• anytime
• christmastime
• cybercrime
• dinnertime
• guggenheim
• isozyme
• lysozyme
• maritime
• mesenchyme
• overtime

Kids Definition

onetime

adjective

one·​time

ˈwən-ˌtīm

1

: former sense 1

a onetime boxing champion

2

: happening only once

a onetime event