formerly

adverb

for·​mer·​ly ˈfȯr-mər-lē 

ˈfȯr-mə-

1

: at an earlier time : previously

Istanbul was formerly known as Constantinople.

2

obsolete : just before

Synonyms of formerly

• once

Examples of formerly in a Sentence

He was formerly a congressman.

the newspaper formerly known as “The Newsprint”

Recent Examples on the Web

But pairing the actor formerly known as Iron Man with genuine talent like Gosling and Jonsson could build an essential bridge between what the MCU once was and whatever audiences actually want to see from superheroes next. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 26 July 2026

Another woman who was formerly in a relationship with the suspect also released a statement after the indictment. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026

Flores was formerly athletic director at Tohopekaliga and Liberty high schools in Osceola County. — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2026

Griffin was formerly a postdoctoral researcher in McPartland’s lab. — Isabella Backman, Hartford Courant, 25 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

formerly

adverb

for·​mer·​ly ˈfȯr-mər-lē 

: at an earlier time : previously