former
B2Neutral to formal. Common in written English (academic, legal, business, journalism) and precise spoken discourse.
Definition
Meaning
Existing, occurring, or belonging to a time in the past; preceding in order, position, or time.
The first of two people or things just mentioned. Denoting someone's previous status, role, or identity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
When used as 'the former' in a pair (the former...the latter), it specifically refers to the first of two mentioned items/people. As an adjective, it often implies a state or role that has been superseded.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or use. 'Ex-' is more common in informal AmE for people (ex-president).
Connotations
In both, 'former' is more formal and definitive than 'ex-' or 'previous'.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK legal and parliamentary contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The former [of two]former [noun]a former [role/status]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a shadow of one's former self”
- “in former times”
- “the former...the latter”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to previous roles, employees, or company states (e.g., 'former CEO', 'former market leader').
Academic
Used in historical or comparative analysis (e.g., 'the former hypothesis', 'former empires').
Everyday
Talking about past relationships, jobs, or places lived (e.g., 'my former flatmate', 'our former school').
Technical
In legal documents to denote prior status or in manufacturing for earlier models/versions.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The former prime minister gave a speech.
- He visited his former university.
- The company aims to restore its former profitability.
American English
- The former governor announced her candidacy.
- She still has a key from her former apartment.
- The car is a shadow of its former self.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My former teacher is very nice.
- I saw my former friend yesterday.
- The former president now works as a consultant.
- Of rugby and football, I prefer the former.
- The treaty restored relations between the former adversaries.
- She is a former colleague of mine from the London office.
- The country is struggling to reconcile its former identity with its modern aspirations.
- He argued that the former interpretation of the law was fundamentally flawed.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'FIRST' and 'FORMER' both start with 'F' and refer to what came before.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS SPACE (Ahead/Behind); The past is a former location one has left.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'бывший' when it implies 'exiled' or 'deceased'. For physical objects, 'прежний' or 'предыдущий' is safer. Don't use 'формальный' (false friend).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'former' for more than two items (use 'first'). Using 'former' without a clear subsequent 'latter'. Confusing 'former' (first of two) with 'older' or 'past'.
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'We studied the Roman and Byzantine empires, focusing on the former,' what does 'the former' refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it can refer to any past state, from very recent to ancient (e.g., 'former oceans on Mars').
Yes, but 'ex-wife' is more common in everyday speech. 'Former wife' is more formal or legal.
It is correctly paired with 'the latter' when discussing two specific, previously mentioned items. For more than two, use 'the first'.
Yes, but almost exclusively in the phrase 'the former' (or 'the latter'), where it stands for the previously mentioned noun.