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
Examples of formerly in a Sentence
He was formerly a congressman.
the newspaper formerly known as “The Newsprint”
Recent Examples on the Web
Tonight’s awards show will also livestream on Paramount+ Premium (formerly Paramount+ with Showtime), however the streamer does not offer a free trial.
—
Erin Lassner, HollywoodReporter, 7 June 2026
The open-source platform was created within X, formerly known as Twitter, in 2019 and endorsed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.
—Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 6 June 2026
Inter Miami Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (formerly Chase Stadium).
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026
Bar manager Chad Matsen, formerly of March and Better Luck Tomorrow, built the menu around Campari, Cynar, amaretto, and the full Italian bitter-and-sparkling canon, but with enough warmth and flexibility that no one feels locked out.
—Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for formerly
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Erin Lassner, HollywoodReporter, 7 June 2026
The open-source platform was created within X, formerly known as Twitter, in 2019 and endorsed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey.
—Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 6 June 2026
Inter Miami Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (formerly Chase Stadium).
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026
Bar manager Chad Matsen, formerly of March and Better Luck Tomorrow, built the menu around Campari, Cynar, amaretto, and the full Italian bitter-and-sparkling canon, but with enough warmth and flexibility that no one feels locked out.
—Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for formerly
Cite this Entry
“Formerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formerly. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
formerly
adverb
for·mer·ly
ˈfȯr-mər-lē
: at an earlier time : previously
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