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
Straz said a Culver’s restaurant is planned for the west side of Harlem, where a CIBC bank formerly stood, though those developers are not seeking TIF financing. —
Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026 That request came from the team formerly known as the Whalers, and Unger Sorum debuted with an assist in Carolina’s last regular-season game. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026 Late Friday, a building that formerly housed a Jewish charity was targeted in Hendon, a neighborhood in north London near Harrow. —CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026 Both populous nations had formerly been under British colonial rule and were now independent; the British government, led by Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, had an interest in maintaining good relations. —Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for formerly
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Olivia Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026 That request came from the team formerly known as the Whalers, and Unger Sorum debuted with an assist in Carolina’s last regular-season game. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026 Late Friday, a building that formerly housed a Jewish charity was targeted in Hendon, a neighborhood in north London near Harrow. —CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026 Both populous nations had formerly been under British colonial rule and were now independent; the British government, led by Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, had an interest in maintaining good relations. —Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for formerly
Cite this Entry
“Formerly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/formerly. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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formerly
adverb
for·mer·ly ˈfȯr-mər-lē
: at an earlier time : previously
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