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

The company has faced intensifying competition from TikTok and continues to battle longtime rivals in social media including Instagram and X, formerly Twitter. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026

Transfer Isiah Canion, formerly of Georgia Tech, was the big offseason addition but Saturday will be an opportunity for second year players Talyn Taylor and Landon Roldan. —Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 15 Apr. 2026

That's one reason Young and others worry about those who live along or inland from the Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026

Opsahl, who formerly worked in sales and marketing roles at AB InBev, said the beer’s success shows that there’s still room for growth in the beer industry — just not where most producers are looking. —Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026