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Meaning & use

former

adjective, pronoun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈfɔː.mər/
US/ˈfɔːr.mɚ/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a noun

    Having had a particular job, position, or role in the past but not now.

    Grammar: Comes directly before a noun: the former president, a former teacher. Do not say 'he is former'.

    Patterns

    • the former president
    • a former employee
    • former students

    The former manager still visits the office sometimes.

    She is a former champion who now coaches young players.

    Several former students came back for the anniversary.

  2. adjectivebefore a noun

    Belonging to or existing in an earlier time; previous.

    Grammar: Used before a noun to mean 'earlier': in former times, her former home.

    Patterns

    • in former times
    • her former home
    • the former name of something

    In former times, this square was a busy market.

    The building kept its former name for years after the change.

    He returned to his former school as a teacher.

  3. pronounsingular

    The first of two people or things just mentioned, as opposed to the second.

    Grammar: Always used with 'the': the former ... the latter. It refers back to the first of two items.

    Patterns

    • the former ... the latter
    • of the two, the former

    Of the two plans, the former is cheaper and the latter is faster.

    Both candidates are strong, but I prefer the former.

    The report compares trains and buses; the former are more reliable here.

Common combinations

the former president
The former president gave a speech at the ceremony.
in former times
In former times, people traveled mostly on foot.
former employee
A former employee told us how the company began.
the former ... the latter
Tea and coffee are both popular; the former is more common in Britain.
former home
The museum stands on the site of her former home.

Synonyms and how they differ

previous
Similar, but 'previous' often refers to the one just before now, while 'former' can mean any earlier period.
ex-
Used in compounds like ex-president; it sounds more informal and is common in news writing.
one-time
Emphasizes that the role happened once; it is more literary than 'former'.

Opposites

currentpresentfuture

Word family

formerly adverb
In earlier times; previously: the shop was formerly a bank.

Commonly confused: former or latter? former or formally?

former vs latter

Refers to the second of two things just mentioned, the opposite of 'the former'.

former vs formally

Means in an official or polite way; it sounds like 'formerly' but has a completely different meaning.

Practice

Complete the sentence: 'Of the two routes, the ___ is shorter but much busier.'

Make it your own

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