1
as in unconventional
not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules
an informal meeting allowed everyone to get acquainted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in casual
not designed to be worn only on special occasions
chose an informal flowery dress
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in colloquial
used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing
the use of informal language in a scholarly article is really inappropriate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of informal
Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire) and Jacky Rosen (Nevada) and Republican Senators John Curtis (Utah) and Thom Tillis (North Carolina) on Monday met with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te at the start of a two-day trip focused on bolstering the two sides’ informal ties.
—
ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Sherwood’s presentation was informal; the company is waiting on a reply for the state, and has applied for no local wetlands or zoning permits so far.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
But the results of the straw poll, an informal litmus test of opinion, may not necessarily accurately predict the party's presidential nominee for 2028, long before campaigning formally kicks off.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
If my informal eight-man panel is correct, the Rockies will join Gil Hodges, Don Lock, and Claude Osteen in an infamous chapter in major league history.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for informal
ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Sherwood’s presentation was informal; the company is waiting on a reply for the state, and has applied for no local wetlands or zoning permits so far.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2026
But the results of the straw poll, an informal litmus test of opinion, may not necessarily accurately predict the party's presidential nominee for 2028, long before campaigning formally kicks off.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
If my informal eight-man panel is correct, the Rockies will join Gil Hodges, Don Lock, and Claude Osteen in an infamous chapter in major league history.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for informal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for informal
Adjective
-
Twenty years after the end of Laguna Beach, Lauren Conrad, Stephen Colletti and Kristin Cavallari are having an unconventional high school reunion.—
Kirsten Chuba,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Mar. 2026
-
But the highest threat still comes from Iran’s unconventional arsenal, like drones, fast-attack small vessels and even unmanned boats that are filled with explosives.—
Annette Choi,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The sport is still years away from drawing the casual fan to the arena.—
Mac Engel
March 31,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
-
It’s built for casual listening virtually anywhere, including the park, the beach, or at home, and offers up to 7 hours of battery life on a single charge.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Cicada’s disappearing routine Scientists who hunt for unusual Covid-19 variants waited to give this one a colloquial, or common, name.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Literary works in colloquial Korean gained popularity, and new forms of cultural expression circulated widely.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The final tour on May 30 will be Avon and Simsbury including architectural themes of vernacular farmhouses, Georgian and Federal homes and the classic saltbox home.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Translated into many vernacular languages, the poetry and philosophy of Firdausi, Attar, Rumi, Hafez, Sa‘di, Nizami, Ibn Sina, and Nizam al-Mulk assumed a canonical authority across Asia.—
Pankaj Mishra,
The New York Review of Books,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Informal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/informal. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
