formality

noun

for·​mal·​i·​ty fȯr-ˈma-lə-tē 

plural formalities

1

: compliance with formal or conventional rules : ceremony

2

: the quality or state of being formal

3

: an established form or procedure that is required or conventional

the interview was just a formality

Did you know?

Formal behavior follows the proper forms or customs, and informal behavior feels free to ignore them. The formality of a dinner party is indicated by such formalities as invitations, required dress, and full table settings. Legal formalities, or technicalities, may turn out to be all-important even if they often seem minor. America requires fewer formalities than many other countries (in Germany, for example, you may know someone for years before using his or her first name), but even in relaxed situations Americans may be observing invisible formalities.

Synonyms

• amenity
• attention
• civility
• courtesy
• gesture
• pleasantry
• politeness

Examples of formality in a Sentence

Her use of old-fashioned language lends an air of formality to her writing.

He failed to appreciate the formality of the occasion.

They haven't approved the loan yet, but that's just a mere formality.

Recent Examples on the Web

Flagg will first have to officially declare for the NBA Draft this month, but surely that’s just a formality for the 18-year-old who was college basketball’s finest player this season. —Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2025

Using an institutional trustee who is perhaps more likely to adhere to all trust formalities then a family trustee is probably advisable. —Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025

Both siblings registered with authorities in the capital Bucharest early Monday – a legal formality relating to the sprawling investigation first launched by Romanian prosecutors in the eastern European nation, in December 2022. —Sana Noor Haq, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025

The work’s mannerist formality is subverted by a haunting presence and an oddity that edges into the surreal. —Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for formality

• banality
• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• finality
• frugality
• legality
• lethality

Kids Definition

formality

noun

for·​mal·​i·​ty fȯr-ˈmal-ət-ē 

plural formalities

1

: a going along with formal or customary rules : ceremony

2

: the quality or state of being formal

3

: an established form that is required or usual

the interview was just a formality