erstwhile 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of erstwhilenext
as in former
having been such at some previous time my erstwhile friend ignored me when I ran into her at the reunion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

erstwhile

2 of 2

adverb

ˈərst-ˌ(h)wī(-ə)l How to pronounce erstwhile (audio)
as in formerly
at an earlier or previous time there's now a store where erstwhile lay green and pleasant pastures

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of erstwhile
Adjective
Then, in 2017, Tesla mainstreamed the Model S with the more affordable Model 3, surpassing the erstwhile eco-warrior favorite Prius. — Brooke Crothers, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026 Now working as a duo, the erstwhile bedroom-pop project embraces its gnarliest impulses on its third album, finding unexpected hope amid clouds of distortion and anxious lyrics. — Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026
Adverb
That places an extra burden on holdovers Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, and Reynaldo Lopez, erstwhile All-Stars who had their own injury issues last year. — Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 18 Feb. 2026 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
  1. former
  2. formerly
  3. old
  4. once
  5. other
Adjective
  • Chow Hang-tung, a prominent young human rights lawyer who conducted her own defense, and former opposition lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan were found guilty of inciting subversion at West Kowloon Court on Friday.
    — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Bennett Weiner, president and CEO of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, said a late registration isn't that unusual, especially for small charities, but the hostile takeover by a former member is.
    — Megan De Mar, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of former
Adverb
  • Among the 3,000 buildings the first licensed Black architect designed, from private residences to hotels, some of his most appealing—including one that formerly housed actor Denzel Washington’s family—can be found in Toluca Lake.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The space formerly was Dimestore Delibar, which closed in October 2025.
    — Matthew Geiger, Denver Post, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of formerly
Adjective
  • So when the 36-year-old was pronounced dead in a South Carolina apartment on Sunday, shock and grief stretched around the world.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Chinese humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics saw its shares jump as much as 629% during its Wednesday market debut in Shanghai—an eye-popping rally that pushed 36-year-old chairman and CEO Wang Xingxing’s net worth to $16 billion.
    — Yue Wang, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of old
Adverb
  • Hong Kong’s position as a once-outspoken corner of China has been upended in recent years by a national security crackdown following huge and often violent democracy protests that convulsed the city in 2019.
    — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Their reconstruction suggests that the Grand Canyon region once sat near an ancient continental margin in a position comparable to modern great escarpments found in places such as South Africa and Brazil.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of once
Adjective
  • Six other co-conspirators who bought remains from Lodge have also pleaded guilty and received sentences.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Cities and smaller communities across the country are competing for remote workers with thousands of dollars in cash, housing assistance, coworking memberships, and other perks designed to make relocating a little easier.
    — Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of other

Browse Nearby Words

ersatz
erstwhile
eruct
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Cite this Entry

“Erstwhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erstwhile. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on erstwhile

Nglish: Translation of erstwhile for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of prowess

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All