previously

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'previously' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to something that happened earlier in time than something else. For example: "Previously, I had only ever seen this species in captivity, but yesterday I spotted one in the wild."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Technology

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The proposal does not go as far as banning EU migrants access to income-related benefits entirely for the first year in the UK, as had previously been suggested.

The Guardian

The alleged warning from Obeid would have came before – as Icac was previously told – a member of the former NSW energy minister Chris Hartcher's staff made an anonymous complaint levelling false allegations of corruption against Schott.

The Guardian

He was rewarded with a firm handshake from the official, who had previously awarded the goal but now disallowed it.

The Guardian - Sport

Email: [email protected] / Twitter: @gay_alcorn Helen Davidson Darwin reporter Helen most recently worked as an online journalist for SBS world news Australia and was previously a news and interactive journalist for news.com.au, where she live blogged major news events.

The Guardian

"All of our young players in Germany, they don't even know what happened previously but in England, especially the newspapers, they remind us how well we did or how frightening we are or how we always win no matter what happens and that makes us even stronger.

The Guardian - Sport

The Queensland government will submit a new application to the federal environment minister Greg Hunt for the dredging proposal, centred on the "T2" site, previously abandoned by BHP.

The Guardian

In a further statement issued on Sunday, Cormann said his comment was intended to point out that Shorten could not secure Labor support for Labor's own previously budgeted savings measures.

The Guardian

Anthony Fisher, the archbishop of Sydney, says his predecessor would return to Australia if asked, adding that Pell has conceded errors were made in the handling of child abuse cases and has apologised previously.

The Guardian

Labour MPs admit privately they are all deeply worried about the SNP surge, which allows the SNP to challenge for seats where it was previously a distant also-ran.

The Guardian

Shackled by the high threshold, pro-Kurdish candidates had previously run as independents in single seats to try to beat the 10% party barrier.

The Guardian

Saunders, who has previously managed Wrexham, Doncaster and Wolves, finished the season in interim charge of Crawley but was unable to prevent them from being relegated to League Two.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "previously" to clearly indicate that something occurred at an earlier point in time, ensuring clarity and avoiding ambiguity in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "previously" when you mean "currently". "Previously" refers to a past state, while "currently" refers to the present. Using them interchangeably can confuse the reader.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "previously" is as an adverb of time. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate that an action or state occurred at an earlier time. As Ludwig AI indicates, it suggests an earlier time.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Sport

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "previously" functions as an adverb of time, indicating that something occurred at an earlier point. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability in written English. It is very commonly used across various contexts, particularly in news and media, sports, and business settings. When using "previously", ensure you are referring to a past state and not confusing it with the present. Alternatives include "formerly", "earlier", and "beforehand". The analysis underscores its value in clearly establishing temporal relationships in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formerly

Suggests a past state or condition that is no longer true; similar formality to "previously".

at an earlier time

A direct synonym, but slightly more verbose than "previously".

earlier

A simpler term indicating something happened before the current moment; less formal.

beforehand

Indicates something done or arranged in advance; less formal than "previously".

in the past

A more general way to refer to earlier times, lacking the precision of "previously".

once

Indicates a past state, but can also imply a single occurrence, differing from "previously".

in former times

A more archaic way to indicate a time long ago; less common in modern usage.

up until now

Emphasizes the contrast between the past and the present moment; more emphatic.

heretofore

A highly formal term, meaning "up to this time"; less commonly used.

in days gone by

Evokes a sense of nostalgia or a time long past; more figurative.

FAQs

How do I use "previously" in a sentence?

"Previously" is an adverb that indicates something happened at an earlier time. For example, "The data was "previously reported" in another study".

What can I say instead of "previously"?

You can use alternatives like "formerly", "earlier", or "beforehand" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "previously" or "in the past"?

Both "previously" and "in the past" are correct, but "previously" is often more precise and concise, indicating a direct temporal relationship. "In the past" is a more general term. Therefore it is suggested to use previously

What's the difference between "previously" and "prior"?

"Previously" is an adverb that indicates an action or event that happened before. "Prior" is an adjective that describes something that existed or took place before something else. For instance, "He "previously worked" there," versus "He had prior experience".