Word
formerly
Definition
adv. at an earlier time, especially when something has changed now.
adv. at a previous time or in a past state; used to contrast a former situation with the current one.
Examples
“This building was formerly a school.”
“The city was formerly known as Saigon before it was renamed in 1976.”
“The museum is housed in a structure that formerly served as the royal mint, preserving the industrial architecture of the previous century.”
Examples
simple
“This building was formerly a school.”
contextual
“The city was formerly known as Saigon before it was renamed in 1976.”
complex
“The museum is housed in a structure that formerly served as the royal mint, preserving the industrial architecture of the previous century.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “formerly” in context.
Verb
01. formerly belonged to
“This antique watch formerly belonged to my great-grandfather.”
adv + verb
02. formerly known as
“The city of Mumbai was formerly known as Bombay.”
adv + verb
03. formerly occupied by
“The building was formerly occupied by a large textile factory.”
adv + verb
04. formerly served as
“She formerly served as the director of the national gallery before retiring.”
adv + verb
Adjective
05. formerly enslaved people
“The museum tells the stories of formerly enslaved people in the region.”
adv + adj
06. formerly incarcerated person
“The charity helps every formerly incarcerated person find stable employment.”
adv + adj
Usage
Usually placed before the adjective or noun it modifies, or after the verb 'to be'.
Pitfall
He is formerly a teacher.
He was formerly a teacher.
Because 'formerly' refers to the past, the main verb should usually be in a past tense unless you are identifying a current person by their past title.
Real-World Examples
“Alina Habba was formerly President Trump's personal lawyer.” “About 17,000 Japanese formerly lived on the islands, which today are occupied by about 20,000 Russian citizens.” Etymology
From former + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/formerly
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0