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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Kabul wants to hedge against its deteriorating relationship with its former patron Islamabad, which accuses the Taliban of harboring a separate but allied group that has carried out deadly attacks inside Pakistan.—
Happymon Jacob,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
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And with foreign powers long divided over the war in Syria and the uprising against its former dictator, there is little hope for an international tribunal either.—
Danny Makki,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The erstwhile president and his entourage got on a jet that flew them to Hmeimim, a coastal air base controlled by Russia, which had been his most critical backer in the war.—
Danny Makki,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Worried that Dessalines’s enemies might eventually force upon him the same fate suffered by his erstwhile friend and ally, Christophe refused to be sworn into office.—
Marlene L. Daut
September 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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About 1,300 people from around the world -- ranging from children as young as 12 years old to elite athletes -- participated in the race.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
17 Oct. 2025
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The last one – the last out of a game, say, or the last victory in a playoff series – is considered the hardest one to achieve, if old adages and the like are to be believed.—
Jim Alexander,
Oc Register,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
This capability could be invaluable for aerospace maintenance and other precision tasks.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
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Informed conclusion here — Whitworth and Fitzpatrick are going to dunk each other in a vat of Skyline Chili, then scream until the cameras cut out.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Quondam.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quondam. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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