formerlyadverb
uk/ˈfɔː.mə.li/us/ˈfɔːr.mɚ.li/formalB2 in the past:
The European Union was formerly called the European Community.
More examples
- The position of our formerly illegal workers has now been regularized.
- The artist formerly known as Prince.
- The building was formerly used as a bank, but is now being turned into a bar.
- The house was formerly owned by the local council.
- Many formerly radical students now work for the government.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
In the past
- ago
- any more idiom
- anymore
- back in the day idiom
- before
- clock
- dot
- late
- memory
- no longer idiom
- of late idiom
- of old idiom
- old
- once
- past
- the status quo ante
- the week/month/year before last idiom
- the year dot idiom
- use
- used
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Before, after and already