Synonym Chooser

How is the word former distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of former are antecedent, anterior, foregoing, preceding, previous, and prior. While all these words mean "being before," former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

When would antecedent be a good substitute for former?

The synonyms antecedent and former are sometimes interchangeable, but antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

When could anterior be used to replace former?

The meanings of anterior and former largely overlap; however, anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

When is foregoing a more appropriate choice than former?

The words foregoing and former are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

When can preceding be used instead of former?

While the synonyms preceding and former are close in meaning, preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

How do previous and prior relate to one another, in the sense of former?

Both previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

a child from a previous marriage
a prior obligation

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 former Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci showed up for Lively at her movie premiere in April, and Lively was spotted out with former costar Salma Hayek in May. Benjamin Vanhoose, People.com, 15 May 2025 Even if Rodgers doesn’t sign with Pittsburgh, new Jets quarterback Justin Fields will be facing his former team. Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 15 May 2025 Marva Johnson, a lobbyist and executive for the telecom company Charter Communications and a former member of the state Board of Education, has been named one of the four finalists to be the next president of Florida A&M University. Kate Payne, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2025 Kriss is a New York City attorney, former Brooklyn assistant district attorney and former NYPD deputy commissioner for trials. Arnold Kriss, New York Daily News, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for former
Recent Examples of Synonyms for former
Adjective
  • Manfred, like other MLB commissioners before him, had rejected Rose’s petitions for reinstatement while the erstwhile slugger was still alive.
    Chris Branch, New York Times, 14 May 2025
  • Radcliffe will play Arthur Tobin, an award-winning filmmaker who moves into Reggie's mansion to shoot an immersive documentary about the erstwhile star athlete.
    Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Heat, by making the playoffs, wound up at No. 15 in the draft order, with that selection now belonging to the Oklahoma City Thunder, to complete a previous trade obligation.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 13 May 2025
  • The weekend’s total box office revenue reached $23.9 million, a substantial dip from the previous frame, which was $65.6 million.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 May 2025
Adjective
  • Of course, the new standard will be backward-compatible with Wi-Fi 6 devices, as well as older Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) ones.
    Iyaz Akhtar, PC Magazine, 13 May 2025
  • Applicants must be 6 years or older as of the beginning of Oct. 4 to participate.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • Court records show three of the burglary charges are from Seminole County and the two other burglary charges, along with the petit theft charge, are from a Volusia County warrant.
    Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 May 2025
  • Because the fire is in a residential area, fighting the fire has strained the immediate water grid, Wallace said, leading the department to bring in water from other, larger water mains.
    Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 13 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Former.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/former. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on former

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