formerly

F4O1R1M3E1R1L1Y4
UK/ˈfɔːməli/US/ˈfɔɹmɚli/

adverb

At some time in the past.

“This ranch was formerly owned by slaveholders.”

Similar
at one timeaforeaforehandalreadyantecedentlybeforebeforehandbeforetime
Opposite
currentlysubsequently
CommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

adverbformerly (not comparable)
  1. not comparableAt some time in the past.

    Xenia Robertson, formerly known as Xenia Isaamov, is from Ukraine.

  2. not comparablePreviously; once.

    This ranch was formerly owned by slaveholders.

    Synonyms: at one time

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbPreviously; once.

Similar
at one time
Similar
aforeaforehandalreadyantecedentlybeforebeforehandbeforetimeereerenowerewhileerstwhileerstwhilesforetimein advancein the pastlateonceprecedentlypreviouslysometimesometimestherebeforewhilewhilerewhilomyestertideyestertimeyet
Opposite
currentlysubsequently
Narrower
recentlylong agohithertoone dayereyesterdaylast nightthe night before lastyesteryesterdayyesternyestereveyestereveningyesternightyestersolyesteryear

More synonyms by meaning

adverbat a previous time

Similar
onceat one timeerstwhileerst
Also see
at one timeersterstwhileformerly known asoncesometimeswhilerewhilomyet

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From former + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek πρίν
  • πρίν (prín)previously; once
Arabic كَانَ
  • كَانَ (kāna)at some time in the past
Bulgarian преди, в миналото
  • преди (predi)at some time in the past
  • в миналото (v minaloto)at some time in the past
  • някога (njakoga)previously; once
  • преди (predi)previously; once
Catalan anteriorment
  • anteriormentat some time in the past
Chinese Mandarin 以前
  • 以前 (yǐqián)at some time in the past
Czech dříve, kdysi
  • dříveat some time in the past
  • kdysiat some time in the past
  • dřívepreviously; once
Danish tidligere, forhen
  • tidligereat some time in the past
  • forhenat some time in the past
  • fordumat some time in the past
  • tidligerepreviously; once
Esperanto antaŭe, antaŭe
  • antaŭeat some time in the past
  • antaŭepreviously; once
Finnish aiemmin, aiemmin
  • aiemminat some time in the past
  • aiemminpreviously; once
  • kerranpreviously; once
French auparavant, autrefois
  • auparavantat some time in the past
  • autrefoisat some time in the past
  • anciennementat some time in the past
German früher, ehemals
  • früherat some time in the past
  • ehemalsat some time in the past
Greek πρώην, προηγούμενος
  • πρώην (próin)at some time in the past
  • προηγούμενος (proïgoúmenos)previously; once
  • προηγουμένως (proïgouménos)previously; once
Hebrew לַשְׁעָבַר
  • לַשְׁעָבַר (leshe‘avár)at some time in the past
Japanese 旧来, かつて
  • 旧来 (kyūrai)at some time in the past
  • かつて (katsute)previously; once
Latin anteā, quondam
  • anteāat some time in the past
  • quondampreviously; once
Māori irāmata, inamata
  • irāmataat some time in the past
  • inamataat some time in the past
Norwegian Bokmål tidligere, tidligere
  • tidligereat some time in the past
  • tidligerepreviously; once
Polish przedtem, wcześniej
  • przedtemat some time in the past
  • wcześniejat some time in the past
  • kiedyśat some time in the past
  • dawniejat some time in the past
Portuguese antigamente, antes
  • antigamenteat some time in the past
  • antespreviously; once
Russian когда́-то, не́когда
  • когда́-то (kogdá-to)at some time in the past
  • не́когда (nékogda)at some time in the past
  • пре́жде (préžde)at some time in the past
Scottish Gaelic roimhe, roimhe
  • roimheat some time in the past
  • roimhepreviously; once
Spanish anteriormente, antiguamente
  • anteriormenteat some time in the past
  • antiguamenteat some time in the past
  • otroraat some time in the past
  • antañoat some time in the past
  • anteriormentepreviously; once
  • antiguamentepreviously; once
  • otrorapreviously; once
  • antañopreviously; once
Swedish fordom, fordom
  • fordomat some time in the past
  • fordompreviously; once
Turkish eskiden, bir zaman
  • eskidenat some time in the past
  • bir zamanat some time in the past
  • öncedenat some time in the past
  • zamanındaat some time in the past
  • eskidenpreviously; once
  • öncedenpreviously; once
  • bir zamanlarpreviously; once
  • bir zamanpreviously; once
  • zamanındapreviously; once

Rhymes & wordplay

Sounds the same

formally (non-rhotic)
Cite this entry
APA

formerly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/formerly

MLA

“formerly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/formerly. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “formerly,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/formerly.

Source: formerly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.