formerly existed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "formerly existed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that was present or in existence in the past but is no longer the case. Example: "The ancient civilization of Atlantis is said to have formerly existed before it mysteriously disappeared."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

(A store formerly existed at 20 East 60th Street).

The New York Times - Food

What formerly existed off the page finds a way onto it.

The New York Times

Of the 25 churches which formerly existed in the town, 9 have survived.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The city takes its name (Arabic: "The Islands") from several small islands that formerly existed in the bay, all but one of which have been connected to the shore or obliterated by harbour works.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Also in the century's first decade, the University established its Graduate School as a separate organization; no systematic program of study had formerly existed on the graduate or post-graduate level, and the three doctorates in science that had been conferred to this point were on the basis of research merit.

Princeton University

In Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, Morocco, Indonesia and other developing countries, U.S. political, economic and strategic fortunes are linked to a handful to wealthy, ruling families presiding over systems that resemble in some ways the one that formerly existed in Iran.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

Today, while gun deaths can be predicted using death certificates, extant data on gun violence does not formerly exist.

HuffPost

E. acoroides existed formerly in region 6, east part of region 7, and region 15, but they decrease at preset (Nakase et al. 2015, 2016).

Geoscience Letters

Our Contacts list, formerly called Phonebook, has existed for a long time.

The New York Times

Formerly, the SR 96 existed from Bagdad, but the terminus was truncated.

Wikipedia

Stephanie Creary, an identity and diversity expert at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, said that to truly resonate, the training would have to address people across a continuum, from those who didn't formerly recognize that racial bias existed in the United States to those who contend with it every day.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "formerly existed" to clearly indicate that something was present or active in the past but is no longer so. This helps avoid confusion about its current status.

Common error

Avoid using "formerly existed" when referring to something that still exists or has been renamed. Instead, use a phrase like "was formerly known as" or simply update the information with the current name or status.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "formerly existed" functions as a past tense verbal phrase indicating that something was in existence at some point in the past but is no longer so. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for describing discontinued entities or past states.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

17%

News & Media

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Wiki

17%

Academia

8%

Formal & Business

8%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "formerly existed" is a grammatically correct and common phrase used to indicate that something was present or active in the past but is no longer so. Ludwig AI's analysis shows its applicability across diverse contexts, from encyclopedias and news media to scientific and academic writings. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects a past state that has indeed changed and consider synonyms like "once existed" or "previously existed" for stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

once existed

Indicates something existed at a point in the past.

previously existed

Emphasizes that something existed before the current time.

used to exist

Suggests a habitual or prolonged existence in the past.

existed in the past

Directly states existence during a prior time period.

has now disappeared

Highlights the cessation of existence.

no longer exists

Focuses on the current state of non-existence.

was once present

Emphasizes past presence rather than existence.

is now defunct

Indicates that something is no longer operational or functional.

vanished from

Suggests a sudden or mysterious disappearance.

passed into history

Indicates something is relegated only to historical records.

FAQs

What does "formerly existed" mean?

The phrase "formerly existed" means something was present or in existence at a previous time but is no longer the case. It indicates a state that has changed.

When should I use "formerly existed" in my writing?

Use "formerly existed" when you want to explicitly state that something that was once present is now gone, extinct, or has transformed into something else.

Are there alternatives to "formerly existed"?

Yes, you can use alternatives such as "once existed", "previously existed", or "used to exist" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

How is "formerly existed" different from "currently exists"?

"Formerly existed" indicates a past state, while "currently exists" implies that something is present or active at the present time. They are opposites in terms of time reference.