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

Haeringer, who now runs MS NOW’s digital strategy, formerly was the general manager of content at Crooked. —Max Tani, semafor.com, 17 Nov. 2025

Connor Rogers reported on X (formerly Twitter) that Jones would make sense as a trade target for the Jets this spring. —Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025

And Greg Bovino, the Border Patrol official who’s expected to lead Charlotte operations, posted a message on X, formerly Twitter, confirming a move into the Queen City. —Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 15 Nov. 2025

Riders with questions can contact PRT customer service at 412-442-2000, on X (formerly Twitter) at @pghtransitcare, or through live chat on PRT's website. —Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 15 Nov. 2025

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