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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Recent Examples of erstwhile
Selina Denman, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Nov. 2024
Carlson’s guest that night was Megyn Kelly, one of his erstwhile Fox News colleagues.
—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024
Quartz Africa, 4 Apr. 2020
See all Example Sentences for erstwhile 
Adjective
There’s also a larger cultural pageant on the cards, this one embracing the entire region and masterminded by Joe Sidek, the erstwhile curator of the popular George Town Festival in Penang.
—Selina Denman, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Nov. 2024
Carlson’s guest that night was Megyn Kelly, one of his erstwhile Fox News colleagues.
—Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2024
Adverb
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
Adjective
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Lake, a former TV broadcaster who narrowly lost the 2022 gubernatorial race, has been a prominent surrogate for Trump’s presidential campaign, appearing in Iowa and New Hampshire, and has been mentioned as a possible vice-presidential pick.Ronald J. Hansen, The Arizona Republic, 17 Dec. 2024
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Trump said he's taken more than 100 congratulatory calls from his former and future counterparts since the November election.Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY, 17 Dec. 2024
Adverb
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In footage shared on X, formerly Twitter, by supporter Michael Solakiewicz (@michaelsolakiewicz), Trump's hair appears noticeably shorter and/or more compact than is usually the case.Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
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These ingredients are crafted by Scottish distiller Shane Fraser, who formerly was distillery manager of the Scottish distillery Wolfburn.Erik Ofgang, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The show skips across the decades, dramatizing the interviews an older Dolours (Maxine Peake) did for a Boston College oral history of the Troubles, which were taped with the promise that they would be released only after participants’ deaths.Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 19 Nov. 2024
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By contrast, the prospect of citizenships and alliances—and perhaps conquests or crusades—structured around the opinions, beliefs, and subjective identities of ordinary people in times of peace would require a new (or very old) conception of empire.Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Adverb
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The rebel group that led Assad's overthrow, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was once linked with al-Qaida and has a history of confrontations with Hezbollah.Lauren Frayer, NPR, 13 Dec. 2024
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In both the case of malware and phishing attacks, many barriers that once helped protect users are eroding.Danny Jenkins, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The movie is constructed like a visual scrap quilt made in a meticulous and orderly fashion, sometimes focusing on Elwood's life in the '60s and other times flashing forward to the near-present day.Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
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The lawsuit, which was filed on October 2, 2024, targets NASCAR and its Chairman, Jim France, accusing the organization of monopolization tactics that benefit the France family financially and disadvantage teams, fans, and other stakeholders.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Erstwhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erstwhile. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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