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

Claypool’s voice, formerly a sharp and declarative figure in the mix, slinks down into silty waters, often unintelligible and almost always emotionally ambiguous. — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 2 Aug. 2026

San Gregorio State Beach is now roughly twice its size after expanding into the formerly private ranch, San Gregorio Ranch. — Sooji Nam, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026

Residents of the Eagle MHC, formerly called Riviera Estates, mobile home park across South Trout Road urged the council to consider how the project could affect them. — Noah Daly august 1, Idaho Statesman, 1 Aug. 2026

According to the 20th edition of the Foundation for Personal Rights and Expression’s (FIRE) Spotlight on Speech Codes report, colleges are quietly dismantling many of the speech restrictions that formerly defined the campus free speech debate. — Scott White, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 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