1
as in ceremonial
following or agreeing with established form, custom, or rules
a formal meeting of the board of directors a formal contract that was legally binding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in titular
being something in name or form only
was the formal head of the charitable organization though he never attended a single meeting
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ceremonious
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
gave her a formal invitation to dinner
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in dress
relating to or suitable for wearing to an event requiring elegant dress and manners
the dress code is formal for tonight's event a shop that rents out formal wear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in eloquent
very dignified in form, tone, or style
the formal language of the coronation ceremony
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dance
a social gathering for dancing
he asked her to the formal at the end of the year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of formal
Melody Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
People like me, from small villages or middle-class families, have found ways to study film and create work, even outside of formal cinema schools.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 18 May 2025
Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
Strain went missing on March 8 after being asked to leave Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink in downtown Nashville while on a trip to the city with the other members of the Delta Chi Fraternity for a spring formal.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 25 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for formal
Adjective
Huizar would not comment on whether there have been any recent instances of lost or stolen explosives and instead directed The Times to submit a formal records request.
—Melody Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
People like me, from small villages or middle-class families, have found ways to study film and create work, even outside of formal cinema schools.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 18 May 2025
Noun
Hell's Kitchen; Here Lies Love, David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's exploration of Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos' rise and fall in the Philippines; and the adaptation of the 2015 documentary How to Dance in Ohio, about a group of teenagers with autism preparing for a spring formal.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 27 Mar. 2024
Strain went missing on March 8 after being asked to leave Luke’s 32 Bridge Food + Drink in downtown Nashville while on a trip to the city with the other members of the Delta Chi Fraternity for a spring formal.
—Matt Lavietes, NBC News, 25 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for formal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formal
Adjective
-
While the ceremonial aspects of the visit drew attention, the event reinforced Canada’s current position on the world stage and the role of the monarchy in reinforcing that status.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
28 May 2025
-
Although White was technically sworn in Tuesday night, a ceremonial swearing-in is set to take place at the June 3 City Council Committee of the Whole meeting.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
Discovery Ready to Offer Batman, Harry Potter, 'Friends' as Figures for Ads The titular girl is Jiang Ning (Zhang Zifeng) a fiercely competitive skater who’s been going through a demoralizing period in her training.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
28 May 2025
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Oscar winners Questlove and Jamie Lee Curtis and Emmy winner Billy Porter are joining forces to executive produce I Was Born This Way about Archbishop Carl Bean, the man who performed the titular groundbreaking gay disco anthem in the 1970s.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
Ogden's #75 dons the back of one fan, Kris Prowse, who has opted – on this ceremonious day – to wear the jersey that started it all.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 May 2025
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The vice president’s role in officiating the Electoral College count before Congress — the final step in the election process before a president takes the White House — was known for many cycles as one that was mostly uneventful and largely ceremonious.—
Alex Gangitano,
The Hill,
6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
From crafting eloquent emails to optimizing complex logistics, AI offers immense convenience, a smooth handover of mental effort.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
-
LaBeouf delivers this confession with an eloquent conviction that’s a little uncanny.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Weddings, quilting parties, dances, and all kinds of other occasions found notes of the banjo permeating the air.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 May 2025
-
Students at Marshall Fundamental Secondary School, many of whom lost their homes in the January firestorm, were stood up Saturday by limousine service Wize Guy Entertainment, which nonprofit organization Alice’s Kids had paid to transport them to the dance, according to the head of the nonprofit.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2025
Adjective
-
While conventional productivity tools address symptoms, one mindset consistently proves more effective as a long-term defense: curiosity.—
Rob Robinson,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
-
Today, SpaceX routinely reuses capsules and rockets that look much more like conventional space vehicles than the winged designs of yesteryear.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Here’s why: Although technical specifications are still being worked out, the new standard could deliver nominal peak data rates of more than 40Gbps.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
20 May 2025
-
The main question of contemporary cinema isn’t (pace the nominal avant-garde) whether to tell a story but what story to tell, how to tell it, and, for that matter, what a story is.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
20 May 2025
Adjective
-
Cabinet hardware jigs vary slightly in design, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions for proper use.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 May 2025
-
But on March 1, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower issued a proclamation on the proper times.—
Chloe Mayer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Formal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formal. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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