Former
adjective
Referring to something or someone that was in a particular role or state earlier in time.
She kept in touch with her former colleagues after she switched jobs.
Often appears as...
- former president
- former employee
noun
A tool or piece of equipment that is used to give something a particular shape.
He used a former to bend the wire into loop shapes.
Usage tips
Technical
adjective
Referring to something or someone that was in a particular role or state earlier in time.
She kept in touch with her former colleagues after she switched jobs.
Often appears as...
- former president
- former employee
noun
A tool or piece of equipment that is used to give something a particular shape.
He used a former to bend the wire into loop shapes.
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Time Sense
Use 'former' to indicate the first of two things mentioned when talking about the past.
Between coffee and tea, my former favorite was coffee, but now I prefer tea.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Current
'Former' emphasizes that the subject no longer holds a specific status or position.
The former champion watched as the new competitor took the title.
Pro Tip 3/3Implies Change
'Former' can imply a significant change in one's life or situation, not just a simple update.
After her career as an athlete, she embraced her new role as a coach, distinct from her former self.
Pro Tip 1/3Time Sense
Use 'former' to indicate the first of two things mentioned when talking about the past.
Between coffee and tea, my former favorite was coffee, but now I prefer tea.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Current
'Former' emphasizes that the subject no longer holds a specific status or position.
The former champion watched as the new competitor took the title.
Pro Tip 3/3Implies Change
'Former' can imply a significant change in one's life or situation, not just a simple update.
After her career as an athlete, she embraced her new role as a coach, distinct from her former self.
Pro Tip 1/3Time Sense
Use 'former' to indicate the first of two things mentioned when talking about the past.
Between coffee and tea, my former favorite was coffee, but now I prefer tea.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Current
'Former' emphasizes that the subject no longer holds a specific status or position.
The former champion watched as the new competitor took the title.
Pro Tip 3/3Implies Change
'Former' can imply a significant change in one's life or situation, not just a simple update.
After her career as an athlete, she embraced her new role as a coach, distinct from her former self.
Never forget "Former"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
Dark matter: The matter...
pushing this acceleration, just like you provide energy to accelerate a car, or gravity does not behave exactly as we think. Most scientists think it's the former, that there's some kind of energy driving the acceleration, and they called it dark energy . Today's best measurements allow us to work out just how much of the universe is dark.
Video examples
The secret US prisons...
You can see the full version. I relied overwhelmingly on primary source documents or on primary interviews with former and current prisoners, with people that are dealing with this situation every day. And like I said, I've been there myself, as well. You're doing courageous work. Thank you very much. Thank you all.
Video examples
Why are we so attached...
were somehow imbued with the essence of their former celebrity owners. For similar reasons, many of us are reluctant to part with family heirlooms which help us feel connected to lost loved ones. These beliefs can even alter our perception of the physical world and change our athletic abilities.
Video examples
I grew up in the...
I needed to listen. This has been at the front of my mind lately, because I can't help but see in our public discourse so many of the same destructive impulses that ruled my former church. We celebrate tolerance and diversity more than at any other time in memory,
Video examples
What really matters at...
To get underneath this, it can be very helpful to tease out suffering which is necessary as it is, from suffering we can change. The former is a natural, essential part of life, part of the deal, and to this we are called to make space, adjust, grow.
Video examples
How to disrupt...
after some thoughts I decided to dedicate the book to all the teachers I could remember that it helped me along the way I wrote to one of those teachers or former male professor and my political science PhD programs to let
Video examples
It's a church. It's a...
to return the building to its former religious purposes. The story of the divine wisdom may be far from over, but one can only hope that the many voices residing there will be able to tell their part for years to come.
Video examples
What I learned about...
met with my former god. And he decided human rights is not important enough to include in his agendas, and he did not talk about it. And it scares me.
Video examples
Amazing Underwater Caves...
there's one thing that unites every former lives from the cenote tracks every form of life had in the forest in
Video examples
This Senior-Citizen...
I think that in the former life I must
Video examples
Dark matter: The matter...
pushing this acceleration, just like you provide energy to accelerate a car, or gravity does not behave exactly as we think. Most scientists think it's the former, that there's some kind of energy driving the acceleration, and they called it dark energy . Today's best measurements allow us to work out just how much of the universe is dark.
Video examples
The secret US prisons...
You can see the full version. I relied overwhelmingly on primary source documents or on primary interviews with former and current prisoners, with people that are dealing with this situation every day. And like I said, I've been there myself, as well. You're doing courageous work. Thank you very much. Thank you all.
Video examples
Why are we so attached...
were somehow imbued with the essence of their former celebrity owners. For similar reasons, many of us are reluctant to part with family heirlooms which help us feel connected to lost loved ones. These beliefs can even alter our perception of the physical world and change our athletic abilities.
Video examples
I grew up in the...
I needed to listen. This has been at the front of my mind lately, because I can't help but see in our public discourse so many of the same destructive impulses that ruled my former church. We celebrate tolerance and diversity more than at any other time in memory,
Video examples
What really matters at...
To get underneath this, it can be very helpful to tease out suffering which is necessary as it is, from suffering we can change. The former is a natural, essential part of life, part of the deal, and to this we are called to make space, adjust, grow.
Video examples
How to disrupt...
after some thoughts I decided to dedicate the book to all the teachers I could remember that it helped me along the way I wrote to one of those teachers or former male professor and my political science PhD programs to let
Video examples
It's a church. It's a...
to return the building to its former religious purposes. The story of the divine wisdom may be far from over, but one can only hope that the many voices residing there will be able to tell their part for years to come.
Video examples
What I learned about...
met with my former god. And he decided human rights is not important enough to include in his agendas, and he did not talk about it. And it scares me.
Video examples
Amazing Underwater Caves...
there's one thing that unites every former lives from the cenote tracks every form of life had in the forest in
Video examples
This Senior-Citizen...
I think that in the former life I must
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Forest Whitaker
American Actor
When we talk about the issue of child soldiers, it can be easy to focus just on ending recruitment and liberating those boys and girls who are currently being held in military camps. Obviously, both of these are incredibly important goals, but it's also essential that we not forget about former child soldiers once they are liberated.
Quote examples
Jane Smiley
American Writer
I have reared, or helped to rear, five children and the scariest bit, bar none, is the learning-to-drive part. It has filled me with anxiety not only about the children, but also about my former self and my friends.
Quote examples
Greg Poehler
American Actor
If you take my own life, the longer you stay in a country, you almost lose your former self and become this third-party person who is caught in between two worlds.
Quote examples
Kelly Ayotte
American Politician
As a former attorney general. I have the greatest respect for the criminal justice system. But it is not good at intelligence gathering.
Quote examples
Omari Hardwick
American Actor
That's the thing with me being a former athlete: in the way I attack characters and attack poetry is from the base of being an athlete.
Quote examples
Sue Kelly
American Politician
As a former teacher and a mother and grandmother, I know firsthand the importance of a quality education.
Quote examples
Garet Garrett
American Journalist
Formerly government was the responsibility of people; now people were the responsibility of government.
Quote examples
Kay Ivey
American Politician
As a former teacher, I have a high passion for quality student learning and high standards.
Quote examples
Gerald R. Ford
American President
May our former president, who brought peace to millions, find it for himself.
Quote examples
Tito Ortiz
American Athlete
I know who I am. I'm a former world champion.
Quote examples
Forest Whitaker
American Actor
When we talk about the issue of child soldiers, it can be easy to focus just on ending recruitment and liberating those boys and girls who are currently being held in military camps. Obviously, both of these are incredibly important goals, but it's also essential that we not forget about former child soldiers once they are liberated.
Quote examples
Jane Smiley
American Writer
I have reared, or helped to rear, five children and the scariest bit, bar none, is the learning-to-drive part. It has filled me with anxiety not only about the children, but also about my former self and my friends.
Quote examples
Greg Poehler
American Actor
If you take my own life, the longer you stay in a country, you almost lose your former self and become this third-party person who is caught in between two worlds.
Quote examples
Kelly Ayotte
American Politician
As a former attorney general. I have the greatest respect for the criminal justice system. But it is not good at intelligence gathering.
Quote examples
Omari Hardwick
American Actor
That's the thing with me being a former athlete: in the way I attack characters and attack poetry is from the base of being an athlete.
Quote examples
Sue Kelly
American Politician
As a former teacher and a mother and grandmother, I know firsthand the importance of a quality education.
Quote examples
Garet Garrett
American Journalist
Formerly government was the responsibility of people; now people were the responsibility of government.
Quote examples
Kay Ivey
American Politician
As a former teacher, I have a high passion for quality student learning and high standards.
Quote examples
Gerald R. Ford
American President
May our former president, who brought peace to millions, find it for himself.
Quote examples
Tito Ortiz
American Athlete
I know who I am. I'm a former world champion.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension