erstwhile 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of erstwhilenext
as in former
having been such at some previous time my erstwhile friend ignored me when I ran into her at the reunion

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

erstwhile

2 of 2

adverb

ˈərst-ˌ(h)wī(-ə)l How to pronounce erstwhile (audio)
as in formerly
at an earlier or previous time there's now a store where erstwhile lay green and pleasant pastures

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of erstwhile
Adjective
But some of Jentleson’s erstwhile allies on the left are less sanguine about his project. — Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 10 Sep. 2026 Its erstwhile customers will simply shift to any of the active competitors in the meantime. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Adverb
That places an extra burden on holdovers Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, and Reynaldo Lopez, erstwhile All-Stars who had their own injury issues last year. — Dan Schlossberg, Forbes.com, 18 Feb. 2026 In South Africa’s middle class suburban areas, including Randburg, where there’s more visible policing, lockdown measures are being tightly enforced, leaving several erstwhile busy stalls and shopping areas empty. — Quartz Africa, 4 Apr. 2020 See All Example Sentences for erstwhile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for erstwhile
  1. former
  2. formerly
  3. old
  4. once
  5. other
Adjective
  • Auriemma also checked in on another of his former players, Tiffany Hayes, 37, who is playing a big role for Golden State.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Unless, of course, there’s another former RHOC Housewife waiting in the wings to rescue her.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of former
Adverb
  • Snap, the parent company that owns Snapchat, led the pack along with X, formerly known as Twitter, and Microsoft.
    — Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Superhuman, the productivity company formerly known as Grammarly, agreed in June to acquire GPTZero for undisclosed terms.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of formerly
Adjective
  • The proximity to his father was what worried Lorena Zschaber, a 40-year-old photographer, who watched the results roll in at an LGBTQ+ friendly bar in downtown Rio de Janeiro.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The 168-year-old magazine’s breakout journalism, its digital success, and a bit of good timing have given both Goldberg and Thompson plenty to brag about on the media podcast circuit.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of old
Adverb
  • The neighborhood/area The fishing village of Conca dei Marini remains a lovely reminder of what this whole coast was once like—sleepy, charming, lost in time.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Patrick, Roy’s agent, calls once more, and Roy finally picks up to learn that he’s been offered the head coaching job at Chelsea.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of once
Adjective
  • Anderson of Johns Hopkins has been working with a dozen other researchers, through grants from Arnold Ventures, to study prices more and contemplate state-level legislation that mirrors the CBO’s options.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The incident became even more troubling after reports that models had turned up on a dozen other websites.
    — Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of other

Browse Nearby Words

ersatz
erstwhile
eruct
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Cite this Entry

“Erstwhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erstwhile. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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