as in former
having been such at some previous time
my erstwhile friend ignored me when I ran into her at the reunion
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of erstwhile
Marlene L. Daut
september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Being able to generate code was finally getting a chance to shine in the bright lights of another erstwhile reason to use generative AI and LLMs.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
In South Africa’s middle class suburban areas, including Randburg, where there’s more visible policing, lockdown measures are being tightly enforced, leaving several erstwhile busy stalls and shopping areas empty.
—Quartz Africa, 4 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for erstwhile
Adjective
Worried that Dessalines’s enemies might eventually force upon him the same fate suffered by his erstwhile friend and ally, Christophe refused to be sworn into office.
—Marlene L. Daut
september 22, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Being able to generate code was finally getting a chance to shine in the bright lights of another erstwhile reason to use generative AI and LLMs.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Adverb
Candidates for the fifth spot include former postseason hero Ian Anderson, erstwhile All-Star Bryce Elder, and rookies AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep.
After winning a surprise world championship in 2021, the Braves had two 100-win seasons without reaching the final round again.
—Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
In South Africa’s middle class suburban areas, including Randburg, where there’s more visible policing, lockdown measures are being tightly enforced, leaving several erstwhile busy stalls and shopping areas empty.
—Quartz Africa, 4 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for erstwhile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for erstwhile
Adjective
-
Parente, a former federal prosecutor, has often described the incident leading up to the shooting as nothing more than a minor car accident.—
Omar Jimenez,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
He was appointed interim commissioner in August following the retirement of former Commissioner Alan McClain.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Yung Lean spoke about his relationship with Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Travis Scott in a new interview with The New York Times Popcast.—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Two of three runways at the airport are open for operations, according to a post on X, formerly Twitter.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The Chinese retailer, known for its range of cheap ultra-fast-fashion clothing and criticisms of its labor and environmental practices, is nestled on the sixth floor of a more than century-old building in Paris, a city famous for high-end fashion and a recent green push.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
-
In contexts not concerning the elite private colleges of New England and their decades-old conflicts and syllabi and on-campus squabbles, this mode of prestige media procedure matters absolutely and enormously, at scales difficult to tabulate.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
It’s not lost on many that Suharto was granted the posthumous honor by Prabowo – a longtime supporter of Suharto’s regime, and once a part of the strongman’s family.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
11 Nov. 2025
-
Nico Harrison’s disdain for beloved superstar Luka Dončić is going to end what was once a promising career as a basketball general manager.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The research team underlined that the future work will explore other co-intercalants and optimize electrolytes for even wider temperature ranges.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Nov. 2025
-
That’s a significant contrast to other parts of the Forbidden City, marked by wide open spaces intended to represent the grandeur of imperial power and territory.—
Fred He,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Erstwhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erstwhile. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.
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