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erstwhile

[ urst-hwahyl, -wahyl ]

/ ˈɜrstˌʰwaɪl, -ˌwaɪl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR erstwhile ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

former; of times past: erstwhile friends.

adverb

Archaic. formerly; erst.

Origin of erstwhile

First recorded in 1560–70; erst + while

SYNONYMS FOR erstwhile

1 past, bygone, previous.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR erstwhile ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR erstwhile

1 current, present.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR erstwhile ON THESAURUS.COM

Words nearby erstwhile

ersatz, erse, ershad, erskine, erst, erstwhile, ert, ertebølle, erts, erté, erub

Example sentences from the Web for erstwhile

He cites the career of an erstwhile friend the film director M. Night Shyamalan.

The Hot Designer Who Hates Fashion: VK Nagrani Triumphs His Own Way |Tom Teodorczuk |December 1, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
With scarlet lips and chemical red hair, the erstwhile agent is still making headlines in the West.

Ex-Spy Anna Chapman, From Russia Unloved |Anna Nemtsova |November 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
For the moment, most offenders, and their erstwhile protectors, are being more careful.

How Sicko Priests Got Away With It |Barbie Latza Nadeau |November 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
But she quickly fell out with her erstwhile ally, who dismissed her government after a few months.

Yulia Tymoshenko: She's No Angel |Christopher Dickey |February 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

But, on Monday, it was reported that the erstwhile Democrat was returning to his political roots.

Parker Griffith Re-Rats |Ben Jacobs |February 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
For the first time in days Ryanne's laughter had a bit of the erstwhile rollicking tone.

The Carpet from Bagdad |Harold MacGrath
The landlady, after all, is undeniably a woman and I believe she is the erstwhile mother of several.

A Top-Floor Idyl |George van Schaick
The moving picture business men do not realize that they have to face these nervous conditions in their erstwhile friends.

The Art Of The Moving Picture |Vachel Lindsay
The erstwhile illuminated theatre is as dark as the Hall of Eblis.

Unicorns |James Huneker
Keen as the clash of rapiers, triumphant as trumpets sounding the charge, rang the voice that was erstwhile so soft, so tender.

The Firebrand |S. R. Crockett

British Dictionary definitions for erstwhile

erstwhile

/ (ˈɜːstˌwaɪl) /

adjective

former; one-time my erstwhile companions

adverb

archaic long ago; formerly