formerly
gb/fˈɔɹmɚli/ us/fˈɔɹmɚli/
B2
English
~ 6100
korábban, egykor, régebben
B2
FORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
[something] was formerly [state/role/name]
She was formerly a lawyer, but now she works in marketing.
Korábban ügyvéd volt, de most marketingben dolgozik.
The building was formerly a factory and is now luxury apartments.
Az épület korábban gyár volt, most pedig luxuslakások vannak benne.
That company was formerly known as BrightTech.
He formerly lived in Paris before moving to Tokyo.
The region was formerly under colonial rule.
Learner examples
This shop was formerly a small café.
Ez az üzlet korábban egy kis kávézó volt.
He was formerly the manager of the team.
Korábban ő volt a csapat menedzsere.
The city was formerly very quiet, but now it is busy.
The school was formerly only for boys.
The country was formerly very poor, but it has grown richer.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *formerly* like *before* to talk about order of actions in one story (e.g., "I ate lunch formerly I went to work"). *Formerly* is not used this way. It describes a past state that is no longer true, especially in formal writing: "He was formerly a teacher" (not about sequence of actions, but about a change in role). Learners also sometimes put *formerly* in unnatural positions; the most common are after *was/were* ("was formerly"), before a noun ("formerly a teacher"), or before *known as* ("formerly known as").
Meaning
at an earlier time, not now
Collocations
formerly known as
|was formerly
|formerly called
|formerly a
|formerly of
Synonyms
previously (Very close in meaning; slightly less formal and more common in everyday speech.)
|
earlier (Often focuses on an earlier point in a sequence of events, not always with the idea that the situation has changed permanently.)
|
once (More narrative or story-like; can sound more emotional or literary than 'formerly'.)
Antonyms
currently (Emphasizes the present time, contrasting with something that was true only in the past.)
|
now (A very common, simple opposite that points to the present moment instead of an earlier time.)
Themes
time
|history
|society
|core_vocabulary
Definition
At a time in the past, but not now.
At an earlier time in the past, but not anymore.
Grammar
Dictionary form
formerly
IPA
GB/fˈɔɹmɚli/
US/fˈɔɹmɚli/
Syllables & stress
formerly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (formerly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: formerly
- Plural: formerlies
Word family
Forms
formerlies
noun
Core family
former
adjective B1
Expressions
formerly known as
1/fˈɔɹmɚli nˈoʊn ˈæz/
fixed phrase
formal
having had a different earlier name
Used to show the old name of a person, group, or thing that now has a new name.
Examples
- Meta Platforms, formerly known as Facebook, owns several major social media services.
- The singer, formerly known as Lily Green, changed her stage name after the album release.