former intern

USAGE SUMMARY

"former intern" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to someone who used to have an internship in the past. For example: "We are excited to welcome our former intern to the team as a full-time employee."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Former intern, WTO Appellate Body Secretariat.

Harvard University

On Monday, Pacelle denied kissing a former intern in 2005.

The Washington Post

It was an exercise in exploitation," the former intern said.

The Guardian - Money

"The item also featured a case study of a former intern.

The Guardian

"In his book he makes every element of our intern program seem demeaning," the former intern said.

The New York Times

Hannah Steinhardt, a sophomore at Barnard College in New York City, is a former intern of The Choice.

The New York Times

The former intern added, "I was floored; I was beyond shocked" by Mr. Smith's resignation and accusations.

The New York Times

Aveneesh Singh Saluja, a former intern for Mr. Smith at Goldman Sachs, discussed his former boss with Business Insider.

The New York Times

I was a former intern in the Product Marketing team at Apple, analyzing customer data.

University of California, Berkeley

"It sometimes frightens me to see what qualified people we reject," said Ms. Monahan, herself a former intern.

The New York Times

Earlier today a former intern at the N.F.L. was hired to be the N.F.L.'s new commissioner.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to a "former intern", ensure the context makes it clear at which organization or in what capacity the person previously interned, especially if they are now in a different role or organization.

Common error

Avoid using "former intern" without providing enough context. Always specify the relevant organization or program, especially if the person now works elsewhere or holds a different position.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "former intern" functions as a compound noun, typically used as a subject or object in a sentence. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use to identify someone's past experience and affiliation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Formal & Business

19%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Science & Research

3%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "former intern" is a common and grammatically correct way to refer to someone who previously held an internship. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage spans various domains including news, business, and academia, indicating a neutral register. When using the phrase, remember to provide sufficient context about the organization or program where the person interned. Related phrases include "past intern" and "previous intern", which are interchangeable in most situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

past intern

Replaces "former" with "past", maintaining the same temporal aspect.

previous intern

Substitutes "former" with "previous", indicating a prior internship role.

prior intern

Synonymous with previous intern.

one-time intern

Emphasizes that the person was an intern at only one point in time.

ex-intern

Uses the prefix "ex-" as a shorthand for "former".

internship alumnus

Indicates the person is an alumnus of the internship program.

once an intern

Highlights a time when the person was an intern.

graduate of the internship program

Describes the person as having completed the internship program.

someone who interned

Uses a more descriptive phrase to indicate a person who completed an internship.

who used to be an intern

Clearly explains that the person was an intern in the past.

FAQs

How can I use "former intern" in a sentence?

You can use "former intern" to describe someone who previously completed an internship, such as: "The company hired a "past intern" as a full-time employee".

What is a synonym for "former intern"?

Synonyms for "former intern" include "past intern", "previous intern", or "ex-intern". The choice depends on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it better to say "former intern" or "previous intern"?

Both "former intern" and "previous intern" are acceptable and have similar meanings. The choice often comes down to personal preference or stylistic consistency within a document. They are interchangeable in most contexts.

What's the difference between "intern" and "former intern"?

"Intern" refers to someone currently undertaking an internship. In contrast, "former intern" indicates someone who has completed an internship and is no longer in that role.