as in yet
up to this or that time
theretofore the couple hadn't given much thought to marriage, but the unplanned pregnancy changed everything
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Recent Examples of theretofore
The reaction to the release of All Quiet on the Western Front in Germany marked an early Hollywood encounter with the pathological race hatred of a theretofore unknown political party.
—
Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Sep. 2022
While deal volume in July and August still trends slower, recent years have enjoyed more robust markets during this period than theretofore.
—Frederick Peters, Forbes, 5 July 2022
There weren’t many bright colors, but some theretofore unnoticed textural quirks—on clothes, on faces—went wild with deep, scrutinizing, photographic detail.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2021
My confidence had reached a height theretofore unseen.
—Shannon Driskill, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2021
Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Sep. 2022
While deal volume in July and August still trends slower, recent years have enjoyed more robust markets during this period than theretofore.
—Frederick Peters, Forbes, 5 July 2022
There weren’t many bright colors, but some theretofore unnoticed textural quirks—on clothes, on faces—went wild with deep, scrutinizing, photographic detail.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2021
My confidence had reached a height theretofore unseen.
—Shannon Driskill, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for theretofore
Adverb
-
But the House has yet to approve the package, launching a partial government shutdown for certain agencies, including Homeland Security, last Saturday.—
Rebecca Santana,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Which appears to be the case when Hana wakes up after a heavy night of clubbing with the messy debris of a large takeout assortment on her bedroom floor and yet somehow feels different.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Undertone helmer Tuason is a Toronto-based creative heretofore best known for his live-action virtual reality horror shorts, which have garnered over 14M organic views on YouTube.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The surname should have been a warning: a signpost to the bunker mentality of the man of the house, who spent most of his down time railing against a world changed for the worse, most notably in the sudden uppity visibility of heretofore subaltern tribes.—
Thomas Doherty,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Theretofore.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/theretofore. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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