erstwhile

erstwhile
American 

[urst-hwahyl, -wahyl]
/ ;;rst;;wa;l, -;wa;l /
adjective
former; of times past.

erstwhile friends.

Synonyms:
previous, bygone, past
Antonyms:
present, current

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adverb
Archaic. formerly; erst.

erstwhile
British 
/ ;;;st;wa;l /
adjective
former; one-time

my erstwhile companions

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb
archaic long ago; formerly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Etymology
Origin of erstwhile
First recorded in 1560–70; erst + while

Explanation
Vocabulary.com
If your dad used to play in a punk band, but is now a computer programmer, you could call him an erstwhile punk rocker. Erstwhile means "former." Erstwhile comes from Old English and is a formal way to say "former." You can go to your class reunion 20 years after you graduate high school and see your erstwhile friends. That means that they had been your friends, but you lost touch with them, so that they weren't friends of yours anymore. Erstwhile can also be used as an adverb, meaning “formerly or once” — “Erstwhile, I was a member of the high school debate team.”

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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The erstwhile interim U.S. attorney, then, is in a pickle of his own making.

From Slate • Mar. 11, 2026

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By the early aughts, erstwhile edgy rock stars like Courtney Love and Nina Gordon swapped their torn fishnets and rumpled slip dresses for French manicures and blown-out coifs.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2026

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He suggests that if the tech sector does start to meaningfully falter this may deliver a psychological shift among investors whereby the erstwhile winners are given the losers tag.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 2, 2026

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Among the squad of friends, family, Hall of Fame athletes and erstwhile colleagues who contribute to “Boo-Yah: A Portrait of Stuart Scott,” a couple of consistent points get made.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025

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After Knighthood changed hands, a rumor began circulating that someone from the horse’s erstwhile rooting section had placed a curse on him.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand