Used in a Sentence

erstwhile

How to use erstwhile in a sentence. Example sentences and definitions for erstwhile.

Editorial note

And this is while my erstwhile friends sit around chewing on a steaming piece of something that I could have easily made friends with too. So, I'm not at my best.

Examples18
Definitions2
Parts of speech2

Quick take

belonging to some prior time; "erstwhile friend"; "our former glory"; "the once capital of the state"; "her quondam lover"

Meaning at a glance

The clearest senses and uses of erstwhile gathered in one view.

adjective

belonging to some prior time; "erstwhile friend"; "our former glory"; "the once capital of the state"; "her quondam lover"

adverb

at a previous time; "at one time he loved her"; "her erstwhile writing"; "she was a dancer once";

Definitions

Core meanings and parts of speech for erstwhile.

adjective

belonging to some prior time; "erstwhile friend"; "our former glory"; "the once capital of the state"; "her quondam lover"

adverb

at a previous time; "at one time he loved her"; "her erstwhile writing"; "she was a dancer once";

Example sentences

1

And this is while my erstwhile friends sit around chewing on a steaming piece of something that I could have easily made friends with too. So, I'm not at my best.

2

I say this as an erstwhile journalist, now software developer: Rebecca, you should learn Python. Then maybe you can get on the bus too.

3

---- [1] I hold this attitude also towards erstwhile proponents. Some people push whatever is the current trend in management.

4

I'm also a founder and erstwhile President of Joyent, which some time ago merged with TextDrive, though I haven't been active with that company for a while. If we have met, I hope it went okay.

5

People will rush to tell you that ideas aren't worth anything and simply having an idea gives your erstwhile prospective cofounders little claim on it. That's true, but not dispositive.

6

Back to our erstwhile smugglers, if there is a crime of attempted smuggling then yes, they should go down for it, as they were indeed attempting to smuggle. If the only crime on the books is actual smuggling, then they should waltz out of the courtroom.

7

I don't like having an Amazon monopoly, but some of the blame should be assigned to the erstwhile competitors who can't seem to get it together.

8

39 is a tiny sample, to be quite honest, especially since the selection doesn't include erstwhile competitors who failed. I've found studies of failures to be more illuminating.

9

A distinguishing characteristic of erstwhile Google used to be: get them out of your system with what they need, as fast as you can, and be so seamless that people want to come back. This was a welcome change compared to Microsoft's: make leaving so annoying that nobody dares to.

10

NZ authorities are used to being flipped the bird by erstwhile allies. Mossad agents using forged NZ passports, French agents assassinating Greenpeace activists in NZ, French nuclear testing in the south Pacific...

11

"the multimillionaire and erstwhile astronaut wrote" It seems like whenever someone writes about Shuttleworth, they feel the need to point out he's a multimillionaire or something similar. More so than most other people they write about.

12

When your erstwhile quite liberal and at least mildly "flower child" longtime friend -- who "can't" miss an episode of "24" -- starts telling you that maybe torture is necessary... I hope Kiefer Sutherland has sleepless nights...

13

Whatever the case, Curtis is responsible neither for the poor culture at AA nor for the erstwhile employee's poor anticipation of the probable response of that culture. In the meantime, I'll be unchecking "AA" on the sidebar of the Kayak site for the foreseeable future.

14

It is amazing to me how erstwhile supporters of minority rights now champion the most literal majoritarianism when convenient. And how do you see the kind of extraordinary show of force we just saw in Boston and conclude that the citizenry should be even more helpless, more disempowered?

15

Presumably your erstwhile partners are gambling on the fact that the value of your equity is less than the cost of defending it at present... but again I can't really guess what's going on from this telegraphic description.

16

I can only imagine what erstwhile tech forums would have read like if they'd been around when Edison was churning out ideas at Menlo Park, or if there had been internet commenters looking over Marconi's shoulder, or Bell's.

17

Salinas was convicted on both forensics evidence and testimony from his erstwhile co-conspirator; a shotgun he freely admitted to owning matched shells found at the scene of the crime, and his fellow criminal felt guilty after having a dream about the victims and testified against him.' Not for impeachment' above means that his silence was not offered as dispositive of his guilt.

18

A state when one of their erstwhile allies kill their citizens with impunity and political class doesn't do much about it apart from some token grandstanding. Much as I want this navel gazing to happen, I am also aware that ruling political classes of countries are typically so sociopathic that they are incapable of feeling responsible, a fact made very convenient now that there is mean old US to point to.

Frequently asked questions

Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.

How do you use erstwhile in a sentence?

And this is while my erstwhile friends sit around chewing on a steaming piece of something that I could have easily made friends with too. So, I'm not at my best.

What does erstwhile mean?

belonging to some prior time; "erstwhile friend"; "our former glory"; "the once capital of the state"; "her quondam lover"

What part of speech is erstwhile?

erstwhile is commonly used as adjective, adverb.