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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of erstwhile
Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 17 Nov. 2025
As the night stretched on, a festive atmosphere took hold; one table whooped as an erstwhile fastidious bartender joined them for a shot and returned to the counter, high-fiving his colleagues.
—Jillian Steinhauer, New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2025
Dan Schlossberg, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
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
Adjective
Instead of the usual narrator and talking heads, The Anthology series features the erstwhile moptops candidly telling their own story, with all its complexities and contradictions.
—Adverb
Candidates for the fifth spot include former postseason hero Ian Anderson, erstwhile All-Star Bryce Elder, and rookies AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep.
After winning a surprise world championship in 2021, the Braves had two 100-win seasons without reaching the final round again.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for erstwhile
Adjective
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Jack McGregor, a former state senator and the original founder of the Pittsburgh Penguins, died at the age of 91 on Tuesday.—
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Notable alumni Plenty of former Canes players were on the sidelines pregame Thursday.—
Adverb
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Miami is hiring Jon-Eric Sullivan, formerly the Green Bay Packers’ VP of player personnel, to be their GM, according to NFL Media.—
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The Riverhouse hospitality event empire was started in 2007 when three managing partners built Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station and soon added Society Room of Hartford, formerly an Irish pub in Hartford.—
Adjective
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Brake gently as needed - Brake normally if the vehicle has anti-lock brakes and pump brakes gently if in an older vehicle.—
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Come late January or early February, Denver could be down its defensive coordinator, a whiz-kid offensive mind, and a slightly older whiz-kid defensive mind.—
Adverb
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Under the plan, a multinational force for Ukraine would be deployed once a ceasefire is in place, aimed at deterring any Russian aggression and supporting the rebuilding of Ukraine’s military.—
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The Rams, who finished 12-5 compared to Carolina’s 8-9, are once again a heavy favorite.—
Adjective
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Newsom is certainly right that California is a great state and an economic engine unmatched by other states.—
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To address the problem, water managers many years ago lowered the levels, but the tree islands never recovered, leaving ghosts of islands that lack the elevation to support the majestic hardwoods found in other parts of the Everglades, such as cypress, pond apple and pop ash trees.—
Cite this Entry
“Erstwhile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erstwhile. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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