former

1 of 2

adjective

for·​mer ˈfȯr-mər How to pronounce former (audio)
1
a
: coming before in time
She now appears like her former self.
b
: of, relating to, or occurring in the past
former correspondence
restoring the theater to its former glory
2
: preceding in place or arrangement : foregoing
the former part of the chapter
3
: first in order of two or more things cited or understood
of the two given, the former spelling is more common
of the two spellings, the former is more common
4
: having been previously : onetime
a former athlete
her former husband

former

2 of 2

noun

form·​er ˈfȯr-mər How to pronounce former (audio)
1
: one that forms
2
chiefly British : a member of a school form
usually used in combination
sixth former
Choose the Right Synonym for former

preceding, antecedent, foregoing, previous, prior, former, anterior mean being before.

preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place.

the preceding sentence

antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal relation.

conditions antecedent to the revolution

foregoing applies chiefly to statements.

the foregoing remarks

previous and prior imply existing or occurring earlier, but prior often adds an implication of greater importance.

a child from a previous marriage
a prior obligation

former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter.

the former name of the company

anterior applies to position before or ahead of usually in space, sometimes in time or order.

the anterior lobe of the brain

Examples of former in a Sentence

Adjective the coach is a former professional baseball player the former manual had some errors, but the current version has its own problems
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Among the dead were a former deputy mayor of Odessa, Serhii Tetyukhin, and a former head of the Odessa regional police, Oleksandr Hostishchev, who was also the head of a National Guard regiment, officials said. Serhii Korolchuk, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 The elder Haskell resigned as CEO of the Miss America Organization after sending sexist emails critical of former contestants in 2017. Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 As the presidential campaign for the 2024 general election now begins in earnest, many Americans will begin to pay closer attention to President Joe Biden’s and former president Donald Trump’s plans for a second term. Roger Ream, National Review, 16 Mar. 2024 Powell was first nominated to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in 2011 by former President Barack Obama. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024 His 249 career strikeouts surpassed former ace Blaine Knight (244) for fifth on the UA's all-time list. Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 16 Mar. 2024 The workshop will focus on the cultural significance of the tortilla and will be led by Ron Oliver, former chef of The Marine Room and owner of artisanal masa company Manos de Mujer Masa. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 The commission, which continues to investigate the shooting, is composed of a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a former US Attorney for the District of Maine and several former judges, including the former Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial court. Emma Tucker, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 The results of the 15-state Super Tuesday GOP Primaries should put former President Donald Trump even closer to the Republican nomination, and President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Thursday will give him a chance to make his case to a divided nation. Aj Willingham, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024
Noun
Oakland, another former hotbed for new hotel development, saw just two hotel openings in 2023. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2024 The tricky part was figuring out the right concentrations: Too much alcohol dilutes the film formers, too little produces a longer dry time and a more obvious film. Maura Lynch, Allure, 21 Sep. 2023 Most mascaras are emulsions — a base of water and oil, plus pigments to darken, and a blend of starches, fibers, waxes, and film formers to add length and volume. Maura Lynch, Allure, 21 Sep. 2023 The organic, colorful former creates a symbiotic relationship with the rugged, geometric latter to generate contemplative reflection. Elle Decor Editors, ELLE Decor, 11 May 2023 Best Eye Treatment Mary Kay Instant Puffiness Reducer $35 at Mary Kay Credit: marykay.com Watch in wonder as a trio of sodium silicate, clays, and film formers sends bags packing instantly. Women's Health, 9 May 2023 How did these questions not just arise, but seize the cultural heights, become the day-to-day obsession of all opinion-formers and tastemakers? Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 29 Mar. 2023 The runs on Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank over the past week⁠—the former’s collapse in part caused by interest rate hikes squeezing its Treasury and mortagage bond investments—may even call for a pause in the Fed’s rate-tightening schedule. Nate Dicamillo, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2023 Now in a recent conversation with Michael Brendan Dougherty Friedersdorf describes the former's baseball newsletter, The Slurve. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 7 Apr. 2013

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'former.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from forme first, from Old English forma — more at foremost

First Known Use

Adjective

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of former was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near former

Cite this Entry

“Former.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/former. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

former

adjective
for·​mer
ˈfȯr-mər
1
: coming before in time
2
: first mentioned or first of two things mentioned or understood
of the two choices the former is better
3
: having once been
a former big-league ballplayer

More from Merriam-Webster on former

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