Formally or Formerly: Meaning, Difference & Examples

Formally and formerly are easy to confuse because they look and sound similar, but they have completely different meanings.

Formally relates to something done in an official, proper, or formal way. Formerly means something was true or existed in the past but is no longer true now.

The difference is small in spelling but important in meaning. Whether you’re writing an email, describing a person’s previous position, or talking about an organization’s old name, choosing the right word matters.

This guide explains the difference with clear rules, practical examples, and a simple memory trick.

Quick Answer

Both formally and formerly are correct words, but they are used in different situations.

Word	Meaning	Example
Formally	In an official or proper way	She was formally introduced.
Formerly	In the past; previously	The building was formerly a school.

Quick rule:

Formally = officially or properly
Formerly = previously or in the past

What Does “Formally” Mean?

Formally is an adverb that describes something done in an official, proper, or conventional manner.

It comes from the adjective formal.

Examples

The company formally announced the merger.
She was formally introduced to the board.
He formally accepted the job offer.
The complaint was formally submitted.

In these sentences, formally describes the way an action was performed.

What Does “Formerly” Mean?

Formerly is an adverb meaning previously, in the past, or at an earlier time.

It tells the reader that something was true before but may not be true now.

Examples

The restaurant was formerly a bank.
She was formerly the company’s marketing director.
The area was formerly known as Old Town.
He formerly worked for a government agency.

The key idea is past status or identity.

Formally vs Formerly: What’s the Difference?

The easiest way to separate them is to focus on their meanings.

Formally

Think:

Officially / properly

The company formally approved the proposal.

The approval happened through an official process.

Formerly

Think:

Previously / in the past

The company was formerly called GreenTech.

The company had that name in the past.

When to Use “Formally”

Use formally when describing an official action, proper procedure, or formal manner.

Common uses

Formally announce
Formally accept
Formally introduce
Formally request
Formally approve
Formally submit

Example

The employee formally requested a transfer.

This means the request was made through an official process.

When to Use “Formerly”

Use formerly when talking about something that was true in the past.

Common uses

Formerly known as
Formerly called
Formerly worked
Formerly owned
Formerly served as

Example

The company was formerly known as TechWorld.

This tells us that TechWorld was the company’s previous name.

A Simple Test

Replace the word with a simpler synonym.

If officially or properly fits, use formally.

She was formally introduced.
She was officially introduced. ✅

If previously or in the past fits, use formerly.

He formerly worked here.
He previously worked here. ✅

This quick substitution test makes the difference easy to remember.

Real-Life Examples

Seeing both words in everyday sentences makes the difference much easier to understand.

Examples with formally

The company formally announced the new policy.
She was formally introduced to the manager.
He formally accepted the position.
The application was formally submitted last Friday.
The two organizations formally agreed to work together.

In each example, formally describes something done in an official or proper way.

Examples with formerly

The building was formerly a public library.
She was formerly the company’s chief editor.
The website was formerly known by another name.
He formerly worked for a software company.
The area was formerly part of a larger district.

Here, formerly refers to something that was true or existed in the past.

Common Mistakes

Using “formerly” when you mean “officially”

❌ The company formerly announced the new policy.

✅ The company formally announced the new policy.

The announcement was made officially, so formally is correct.

Using “formally” when you mean “previously”

❌ She formally worked for the company.

✅ She formerly worked for the company.

The sentence refers to her previous employment, so formerly is the right choice.

Confusing “former” with “formal”

Remember that former relates to the past, while formal relates to official or proper behavior.

Former employee = previous employee
Formal meeting = official or structured meeting

Their adverbs follow the same pattern:

Formerly = previously
Formally = officially

Memory Trick

Use this simple connection:

Formal → Formally
Think official.

Former → Formerly
Think previous.

You can remember it like this:

Formally = Formal way
Formerly = Former time

If you’re talking about how something was done, choose formally.

If you’re talking about when something was true, choose formerly.

Formally vs Formerly Comparison

Feature	Formally	Formerly
Meaning	Officially or properly	Previously or in the past
Related word	Formal	Former
Focus	Manner	Time
Example	Formally accepted	Formerly worked
Synonym	Officially	Previously
Part of speech	Adverb	Adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is formally or formerly correct?

Both are correct words, but they have different meanings. Formally means officially or properly, while formerly means previously or in the past.

What is the difference between formally and formerly?

Formally describes the way something is done. Formerly describes something that was true or existed in the past.

Does formerly mean previously?

Yes. Formerly is a synonym for previously, before, or in the past.

Does formally mean officially?

Yes. In many contexts, formally means officially, especially when describing an official action or procedure.

Is “formerly known as” correct?

Yes. Formerly known as is a common phrase used to show that a person, company, place, or organization had a different name in the past.

How can I remember formally vs formerly?

Remember:

Formally = officially
Formerly = previously

The first relates to formal actions, while the second relates to the past.

Conclusion

Formally and formerly are both correct, but they should never be used as interchangeable words.

Use formally when something is done in an official, proper, or structured way. Use formerly when describing something that was true, used, or existed in the past.

A quick way to remember the difference is to connect formally with formal and formerly with former. If you mean officially, choose formally; if you mean previously, choose formerly.