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

An infusion of new federal housing funds has spared about 4,200 formerly homeless Angelenos from losing their rent subsidies in December, averting a looming wave of evictions. — Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Lowry and Niederreiter need to have big seasons, lest the old-fashioned but formerly effective shutdown line idea fall apart once again. — Murat Ates, New York Times, 9 July 2026

When the earthquake struck, Villafaña was in a fourth-floor room at the Santuario La Llanada hotel, formerly known as Negra Hipólita, perched on a hillside surrounded by vegetation in La Guaira, the state hardest hit by the twin earthquakes. — Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 8 July 2026

Sam Elliott won at the Actor Awards (formerly the Screen Actors Guild Awards) for his work. — Brayden Garcia july 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 July 2026