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
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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
Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Yoon’s lawyers have argued that the investigative agency that detained him prior to his formal arrest lacked legal authority to probe rebellion charges.
—Landon Mion, Fox News, 8 Mar. 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
Anecdotal evidence and formal studies alike point out that women, on average, may achieve higher returns by sticking to disciplined strategies, trading less frequently and focusing on fundamentals.
—Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Yoon’s lawyers have argued that the investigative agency that detained him prior to his formal arrest lacked legal authority to probe rebellion charges.
—Landon Mion, Fox News, 8 Mar. 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
-
Steeled away from the confines of death in a timeless town, the spirits of the dead co-mingle with the living as a local priest leads the community’s procession to the top of a mountain to perform the ceremonial re-burial.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2025
-
The address carries the same ceremonial importance as the State of the Union.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Cage is portraying the titular figure during his tenure as the coach of the Oakland Raiders.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
5 Mar. 2025
-
The Rule of Jenny Pen stars Lithgow as Dave Crealy, a seemingly gentle man who secretly terrorizes the residents with a sadistic game involving the titular dementia doll.—
Simon Thompson,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The ceremony sets the stage for each day’s contests and activities which include a ceremonious entrance led by a Native American veteran color guard, visiting dignitaries and tribal royalty, followed by dancers of all ages.—
Staff Reports,
Twin Cities,
6 Feb. 2025
-
Roberts began the process while Melania was still finalizing her position, which may have disrupted the ceremonious act.—
Lizzie Hyman,
People.com,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Paper Doll is eloquent and occasionally wrenching about the desire to get out — out of toxic situations, out of the view of paparazzi, and out of one’s own head.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
26 Feb. 2025
-
In voice-over narration, Angela communicated directly to the audience and shared her innermost thoughts — sometimes eloquent, sometimes inane but always authentic to the volatile experience of being a teenager.—
Meredith Blake,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Each year in May, this park and the surrounding theatre venues are incubators and platforms for emerging artists to debut plays, dances, and live performances at the Orlando Fringe Festival, the longest-running Fringe in the United States.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
5 Mar. 2025
-
Share Art Or Surprise Performances In High-Traffic Areas Engage potential customers in unique, memorable ways with things like chalk art, flash mobs or surprise dance performances in high-traffic areas.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
More importantly, Lara wants women to embrace their bodies’ natural processes rather than feel pressured to conform to societal expectations or follow conventional paths that don’t seem to be working in their favor.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacramento Bee,
28 Feb. 2025
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The 36 dwarf galaxies are varied in their properties, and many exhibit puzzling orbits that conventional theories have so far been unable to explain.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Howe used four different left-backs last term, mainly fielding Dan Burn there (a nominal centre-back at 6ft 7in/201cm), while Newcastle were the most one-sided team in the league for crosses — over 60 per cent came from the right.—
Liam Tharme,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
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Out of all of the foreign investment sources that have pumped cash into South Florida real estate, financial institutions, and new businesses over the years, Saudi Arabia is a nation that at best has a nominal presence in the region.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The chairman alleged Sherman colluded with some board members to wrest control by making changes to the board’s composition by appointing two new directors without proper vetting by the nominations committee.—
Jonathan Burgos,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
-
The on and off ramps at Exit 74 on I-95 lack the proper acceleration and deceleration lanes that merge on and off I-95.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Formal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formal. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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