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

Power Trip, the thrash-metal group formerly fronted by the late Riley Gale, have cemented their return with a new double single, their first music since Gale’s death in 2020. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026

Given the significant appreciation of the formerly moribund share price over the past year, about 500 employees now have more than $1 million apiece in equity, as the New York Post noted. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026

His lack of experience in the realms of ballet, classical music, opera, and jazz, formerly the center’s mainstays, have concerned some onlookers. — News Desk, Artforum, 9 Oct. 2026

Dana Cleaveley, a research consultant formerly with SeaChoice, a Canadian sustainable-seafood group, said that many industries have already had to begin reckoning with the human rights and environmental abuses buried in their supply chains. — Ian Urbina, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 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