But once
Erstwhile and but once are semantically related. in in the past topic. In some cases you can use "Erstwhile" instead an adverb phrase "But once".
Erstwhile
Erstwhile adverb - At an earlier or previous time.
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Both terms in one sentence
- It's one thing to be total assholes to some obscure "Third World" people, but once your fellow First-Worlders get a sense that you're willing to do the same to everyone, expect your erstwhile allies to gang-up on you.
Source: The Fettered
Cite this Source
Erstwhile and But once. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/but_once/erstwhile
But once & Erstwhile. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/but_once/erstwhile>.
Erstwhile or But once. 2016. Accessed August 14, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/but_once/erstwhile.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "but once" and "erstwhile" have occurred on timeline