Synonyms of formerly

formerly

adverb

ˈfȯr-mər-lē 

1

as in once

at an earlier or previous time

the newspaper formerly known as "The Newsprint"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• once
• erstwhile
• onetime

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recently
• now
• currently
• presently
• lately

2

as in earlier

so as to precede something in order of time

if you didn't get a malaria shot formerly, you'd better get one now

Synonyms & Similar Words

• earlier
• already
• previously
• ahead
• early
• before
• preliminarily
• now
• antecedently
• anteriorly
• afore
• in advance
• shortly
• soon
• beforehand
• first
• prematurely
• presently
• first off
• before long
• a priori
• erelong

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• later
• afterward
• subsequently
• after
• behind
• next
• by and by

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of formerly

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable cities. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

Merchandise formerly eligible for the exemption has been shifting into informal entry channels including type 11. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026

The group, which was formerly known as Mediaset, has run channels in Italy and Spain for decades and also acquired a stake in Portuguese broadcaster Impresa, with the ProSieben takeover all giving it access to the Swiss and Austrian markets. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026

Fathom Entertainment, formerly Fathom Events, is a joint venture of AMC Entertainment Holdings, Regal Cinemas, and Cinemark Holdings. — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026