as in former
having been such at some previous time
a quondam oil baron now living comfortably in retirement
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Recent Examples of quondam
By coincidence, the same day that Reichstag burned, Einstein wrote to his quondam mistress, Margarete Lenbach.
—
Thomas Levenson, The Atlantic, 9 June 2017
Thomas Levenson, The Atlantic, 9 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quondam
Adjective
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California politics: In the June 18 Section A, a column about U.S. senators running for governor said former California Gov. George Deukmejian was term limited.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2025
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Rachel Zegler is starring in one of London’s hottest West End productions right now, as former first lady of Argentina Eva Perón, in Evita.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Trump’s reelection dashed the view that his first presidency was a mere aberration, and his second administration’s early, seismic actions on global trade, skepticism toward allies, and affection for erstwhile adversaries have already changed the United States’ role and image in the world.—
REBECCA LISSNER,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
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As an early example of this, Stephen Griffin, a constitutional law professor at Tulane Law School, points to the Quasi War, a limited naval conflict between the fledgling U.S. and its erstwhile Revolutionary War ally, France.—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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Sculpting a modern tale about a porcelain company that’s 250 years old has a lot to do with understanding how younger generations come together, dine and entertain.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
17 June 2025
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International students make up about 27% of the student body at the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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However, unlike other recent revivals, which have incorporated legacy characters’ children, fans shouldn’t expect Scrubs 2.0 to prominently feature the offspring of JD and Elliott, Turk and Carla, or Cox and Jordan.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
17 June 2025
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In the meantime, the company encourages fans to explore the Pop Mart portfolio featuring other options like Crybaby, Peach Riot, Hirono, and SkullPanda.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quondam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quondam. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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