erstwhile

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

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

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

Time was when a literary score-settling by erstwhile lovers like Philip Roth and Claire Bloom took months or years to play out.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 6, 2025

Vincent, the erstwhile evangelist, now living with a baker, spending his time drawing.

From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman