Previous vs. Previously — What's the Difference?

"Previous" is an adjective that specifies something that came before the current item in time or order. For example, one might refer to the "previous owner" of a car. On the other hand, "previously" is an adverb that describes an action or state occurring before the time of speaking or the current context. It often modifies verbs to indicate when an action took place, such as in "previously mentioned."

"Previous" typically modifies nouns directly, suggesting a direct relationship with a specific entity, such as in "previous attempts" or "previous year." Whereas "previously" modifies verbs or clauses, indicating the timing of an action, as in "previously decided" or "as previously seen."

In usage, "previous" often requires an article or possessive adjective, like in "the previous week" or "my previous job." Conversely, "previously" can stand alone as an adverbial modifier without needing additional grammatical elements, such as in "I had seen him previously."

"Previous" can also imply a comparison or sequence, particularly in narrative or procedural contexts, e.g., "the previous chapter was more interesting." On the other hand, "previously" emphasizes the temporal aspect of actions or states, focusing on the transition in time rather than order, e.g., "Previously, this area was underwater."

While "previous" is often linked with specific, usually singular nouns, "previously" can relate to broader actions or situations without direct noun association, enhancing its versatility in modifying statements about past actions or states, e.g., "Previously, people relied on traditional mail."