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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Current council member Cameron Nave vied for his seat, to which he was appointed last year, against former council member Bill Garnos.—
The Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The Australian Special Air Service Association, which represents current and former members of the elite regiment, said some may be required to testify against former comrades.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Spain and Italy have both denied America use of military bases in their territory; Britain, the erstwhile steadfast ally of America, wavered on the issue, too.—
Idrees Kahloon,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2026
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Still, the erstwhile tax credit made the cars more accessible.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Since 2023, a Sasquatch figure — similar to the one in the old Jack Link’s Beef Jerky ads — has appeared atop the Royals Hall of Fame in left field after Pasquantino reaches base.—
PJ Green
April 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
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Not yet able to buy an alcoholic drink, Knueppel is only 20 years old.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Each cocktail is purposefully crafted, bridging flavors as with a slow-sipper featuring a split whiskey base sees bitter orange, curry leaf, and a bath of hickory smoke paired with the kitchen’s tender rogan josh shank, snappy papadum, and other hits.—
Chris Malloy,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
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That said, China's export momentum will be more insulated from higher energy costs and raw material shortage than other export-reliant peers, Zhang noted, due to the scale and efficiency of the country's manufacturing sector.—
Anniek Bao,Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Quondam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quondam. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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