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
-
Mace's former fiancé denied the accusations.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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The firms of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, hedge fund billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs joined an $863 million fundraise for Commonwealth Fusion Systems.—
Hayley Cuccinello,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But now, with another tough contract negotiation on the horizon, SAG-AFTRA is going to have to push forward without its erstwhile leader from Queens.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Aug. 2025
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Another was an erstwhile belt factory and a third is in the former Cook County Hospital.—
Brian E. Clark,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Amid the album's release, Justin shared several clips and photos on Instagram of billboards and projections in various locations around the world featuring a photo with his 1-year-old son Jack Blues, and himself and his wife, 28, with the little one.—
Ilana Kaplan,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
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Brake gently as needed - Brake normally if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes and pump brakes gently if in an older vehicle.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Lopez noted and mocked Johnson’s comments, sarcastically asking why the mayor didn’t blame it on other historic phenomena.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
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Additional locations may experience flooding during periods of heavy rainfall, high winds, or other factors.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quondam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quondam. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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