Short answer: yes, “aforementioned” is correct English. It’s been sitting in dictionaries for over 500 years, and it’s still fully valid today. But here’s the catch — just because a word is grammatically correct doesn’t mean it belongs in every sentence you write. “Is It Correct to Say “Aforementioned” carries a stiff, formal weight that fits contracts and court documents a lot better than it fits a text to your coworker.
This guide breaks down exactly what “aforementioned” means, how to use it without sounding like a Victorian lawyer, where it truly shines, and what to reach for instead when you want your writing to breathe a little.
What Does “Aforementioned” Mean?
“Aforementioned” means something (or someone) mentioned earlier in the same piece of writing. It’s a signal word. It tells your reader, “Hey, remember that thing I brought up a few paragraphs back? I’m talking about that again.”
Break the word apart and it practically explains itself:
- “Afore” — an older form of “before”
- “Mentioned” — brought up, referenced, or named
Put them together and you get “mentioned before.” That’s it. No hidden complexity, no secret second meaning.
The word actually traces back to Old English and Middle English, where “afore” was a completely normal way to say “before” — you’ll spot it in Shakespeare and in the King James Bible. By the 1400s, “aforementioned” had settled into legal and official writing as a way to avoid repeating long names or descriptions over and over. Lawyers loved it then, and lawyers still love it now.
Here’s a simple example:
“John Smith agrees to the terms of this contract. The aforementioned party shall submit payment within 30 days.”
“The aforementioned party” just means John Smith. Simple as that.
Is “Aforementioned” Grammatically Correct?
Yes, without question. “Is It Correct to Say Aforementioned” is a legitimate adjective recognized by every major dictionary, including Merriam-Webster, Oxford, and Cambridge. It’s not slang, it’s not a typo of something else, and it’s not a word that grammar checkers should flag.
That said, grammatical correctness and stylistic fit are two different things. A word can be 100% correct and still feel wrong for the room. Think of “aforementioned” like a tuxedo. Nothing’s wrong with a tuxedo — it’s tailored, it’s proper, and it’ll get you into any formal event. But you wouldn’t wear one to a backyard barbecue.
Here’s the quick breakdown:
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is it a real word? | Yes |
| Is it grammatically correct? | Yes |
| Is it formal or informal? | Formal |
| Is it common in everyday speech? | No |
| Is it common in legal/business writing? | Yes, very |
So when someone asks “is it correct to say aforementioned,” the honest answer is: correct, yes — but check your context before you use it.
How to Use “Aforementioned” Correctly
“Aforementioned” can function two different ways in a sentence, and knowing the difference will save you from some awkward phrasing.
As an Adjective
Used this way, “aforementioned” sits right before a noun and describes it, the same way “red” describes “car” in “the red car.”
Examples:
- “The aforementioned contract expires in December.”
- “Please review the aforementioned documents before Friday’s meeting.”
- “The company violated the aforementioned policy on three occasions.”
As a Pronoun
Sometimes “aforementioned” stands in for the noun entirely, with no noun attached at all.
Examples:
- “Several witnesses confirmed the aforementioned.”
- “The aforementioned has been under review since March.”
This pronoun usage shows up almost exclusively in legal writing. Outside a courtroom or contract, it tends to sound clunky, so save it for documents where that formality is expected.
Placement Rules
This part trips people up more than anything else. “Aforementioned” always goes before the noun it refers to — never after.
Correct: “The aforementioned employee received a warning.” Incorrect: “The employee aforementioned received a warning.”
There’s no flexibility here. English adjectives that describe formality or reference (like “aforementioned,” “abovementioned,” or “said”) sit in front of the noun, full stop.
5 Mistakes People Make With “Aforementioned”
Even fluent writers stumble over this word. Here are the mistakes that show up most often, and how to sidestep each one.
- Using it before anything’s actually been mentioned. “Aforementioned” only works if you already introduced the person, item, or idea earlier in the text. Using it as a first reference is like saying “as I said” before you’ve said anything.
- Doubling up with redundant phrases. Saying “the aforementioned above” or “as aforementioned previously” repeats the same idea twice. “Aforementioned” already contains the meaning of “before,” so pairing it with “above” or “previously” is like saying “ATM machine.”
- Overusing it in casual writing. One or two uses in a long legal document reads fine. Five uses in a two-paragraph email reads exhausting. If you catch yourself reaching for it more than once per page outside formal writing, swap in a simpler alternative.
- Mismatching singular and plural nouns. “Aforementioned” doesn’t change form, but the noun after it still needs to agree with everything else in the sentence. Watch for slip-ups like “the aforementioned employee were notified” — that should be “was.”
- Confusing it with “abovementioned.” These two get mixed up constantly, and while they’re close cousins, they’re not identical twins. More on that next.
“Aforementioned” vs. Similar Terms
A handful of words do similar jobs to “aforementioned,” but each carries its own flavor. Here’s how they stack up:
| Term | Meaning | Best Used In | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aforementioned | Mentioned earlier in the text | Legal, business, academic writing | Very formal |
| Abovementioned | Mentioned above (often literally higher on the page) | British legal/business writing | Very formal |
| Previously mentioned | Mentioned before now | General formal or semi-formal writing | Formal, natural |
| Said (legal usage) | Refers to something already named, e.g., “said party” | Legal contracts | Very formal, archaic-sounding outside law |
| The former | Refers to the first of two items already named | Comparisons, essays | Formal |
| This/That/These/Those | Refers back to something recently stated | Everyday and business writing | Neutral to casual |
Notice the pattern? “Aforementioned” and “abovementioned” are nearly interchangeable, though “abovementioned” leans slightly more British. “Previously mentioned” does the same job with far less starch. And honestly, most of the time, a plain old “this” or “that” gets the job done without any fuss at all.
When to Use “Aforementioned” (and When Not To)
Context decides everything here. Let’s walk through where “aforementioned” earns its keep, and where it just gets in the way.
Legal and Contract Writing
This is home turf for “aforementioned.” Legal documents rely on precise, unambiguous references, and this word delivers exactly that. Once a party, term, or clause gets named, “aforementioned” lets the document refer back to it without repeating a long definition every single time.
Here’s a real-style example pulled from a typical service agreement:
“This Agreement is entered into between ABC Consulting LLC (“the Company”) and Jane Rivera (“the Client”). The aforementioned Client agrees to compensate the aforementioned Company for services rendered under Section 3.”
Notice how much cleaner that reads compared to repeating “ABC Consulting LLC” and “Jane Rivera” every single time. That’s the whole point of the word — efficiency and precision, wrapped into one.
Academic and Business Writing
In research papers, formal reports, and corporate documents, “aforementioned” works fine in moderation. It signals precision and helps writers avoid clunky repetition of long technical terms or study names.
Example: “The aforementioned study, conducted across 12 clinical sites, found a 34% reduction in symptoms.”
Even here, though, it’s worth asking whether “this study” or “the earlier study” would read just as clearly with less formality. Most style guides, including APA and Chicago, don’t require “aforementioned” — they just require clarity, and there’s usually a plainer way to get there.
Everyday Conversation
Simple answer: don’t. Nobody says “aforementioned” out loud in casual conversation, and if they do, it usually gets a laugh. Save it for the page, not the coffee shop.
Instead of: “The aforementioned restaurant was great.” Say: “That restaurant we talked about was great.”
Is “Aforementioned” Outdated or Archaic?
Not archaic — but definitely old-school in feel. There’s a real difference between a word that’s fallen out of use entirely (like “forsooth” or “wherefore”) and one that’s still actively used but confined to specific settings. “Aforementioned” falls firmly into the second camp.
Legal writing, government documents, insurance policies, and formal contracts still use it constantly. Search any major contract template online and you’ll spot it within the first paragraph almost every time. So no, it hasn’t gone the way of the dodo.
What has changed is how modern style guides treat it outside those formal settings. Plain-language writing movements — the kind pushed by the U.S. government’s Plain Writing Act and by style authorities like the Purdue OWL — actively encourage writers to swap “aforementioned” for simpler phrasing whenever the context allows it. The reasoning is straightforward: readers process “the contract mentioned earlier” faster than “the aforementioned contract,” even though both say the same thing.
So think of “aforementioned” less as outdated and more as specialized. It’s a tool that still works great, just not for every job.
Better Alternatives to “Aforementioned”
If your writing doesn’t call for full-on legal formality, here are natural substitutes that carry the same meaning with a lighter touch:
- Previously mentioned — clean, formal, works almost anywhere “aforementioned” does
- Noted above — great for reports and structured documents
- Mentioned earlier — conversational and clear
- This / that / these / those — simplest option, works in almost every casual and semi-formal context
- The above-named — solid alternative for legal or official writing
- Earlier-cited — useful in academic writing when referencing a source
- In question — works well when referring to a specific case or item, e.g., “the policy in question”
Quick comparison:
Formal: “The aforementioned employee failed to submit the report.” Slightly less formal: “The previously mentioned employee failed to submit the report.” Natural: “That employee failed to submit the report.”
All three sentences say the same thing. The only difference is how much starch is in the collar..
Quick Grammar Cheat Sheet
Keep these five rules handy, and you’ll never second-guess yourself again:
- Always place it before the noun — never after.
- Only use it after something has already been mentioned — never as a first reference.
- Don’t pair it with “above” or “previously” — that’s redundant.
- Match your verb tense and plurality to the noun, not to “aforementioned” itself.
- Reserve it for formal writing — legal, business, academic — and lean on simpler alternatives everywhere else
FAQs
Is “aforementioned” correct grammar?
Yes. It’s a standard English adjective (and occasionally a pronoun) that’s fully recognized by every major dictionary. There’s nothing grammatically wrong with using it, as long as it comes before the noun it modifies and refers to something already mentioned in the text.
Is “aforementioned” one word or two?
One word, no hyphen: aforementioned. You’ll sometimes see people mistakenly write it as “afore mentioned” or “afore-mentioned,” but modern style guides treat it as a single, unhyphenated word.
What’s a simpler word for “aforementioned”?
“Previously mentioned,” “mentioned earlier,” or simply “this” or “that” all work as easier, more natural substitutes. Pick based on formality — “previously mentioned” for semi-formal writing, “this/that” for casual writing.
Is “aforementioned” too formal for emails?
For most everyday emails, yes. Save it for formal business correspondence, official notices, or anything with legal weight. A quick internal email between coworkers reads more naturally with “that project we discussed” instead of “the aforementioned project.”
Can you start a sentence with “aforementioned”?
Technically yes, though it’s uncommon. You’ll occasionally see it in legal writing: “Aforementioned terms apply to all parties listed in Exhibit A.” Outside legal contexts, though, starting a sentence this way tends to sound stiff and is worth avoiding.
The Bottom Line
“Aforementioned” isn’t wrong, outdated, or broken English — it’s a precise, formal word that’s been doing its job since the 1400s. Use it in contracts, legal documents, and formal reports where precision matters more than warmth. Everywhere else — emails, blog posts, casual writing, conversation — reach for something lighter like “previously mentioned” or a simple “that.” Your reader will thank you for it.
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David Miller is the lead content writer at Meaning Loops, where he creates accurate and easy-to-understand content on word meanings, synonyms, antonyms, idioms, phrases, acronyms, abbreviations, and vocabulary. His goal is to help readers improve their English with reliable, well-researched, and SEO-friendly language resources.
