informally

[ in-fawr-muh-lee ]

adverb

1. in a casual manner, without formality:

   Some folks still dress to the nines in formal gowns and tuxedos, but most people dress more informally.

2. in a way that does not involve or follow prescribed procedures or go through formal or official channels:

   Cases of minor misconduct or unsatisfactory performance are usually best dealt with informally.

3. in a way that is not orchestrated or arranged:

   Hallways and pedestrian bridges joining the buildings provide spaces for researchers to interact informally.

4. using familiar, casual, or ordinary speech or writing:

   We use different registers, speaking more informally with family and friends out of the classroom than when discussing academics within the classroom.

Other Words From

• qua·si-in·for·mal·ly adverb
• su·per·in·for·mal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of informally¹

informal ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

They create informal communities around an artifact or an exhibition, where people begin to engage with each other and are changed by that conversation.

From Vox

United is in the early stages of the search and the discussions with Ellis were informal, said one person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

From Washington Post

The passing of the informal deadline set off a flurry of advisories from election officials and posts on social media encouraging voters who had yet to postmark their ballots to instead drop them off at voting centers — or consider voting in person.

From Washington Post

The most vulnerable informal workers and small businesses have been hit the hardest.

From Fortune

Seeing the players with their families and friends, and seeing the commissioner in a more informal fashion — I think it worked.

From Digiday

At best, Grimes is informally shooting trap, which features only one target-launching device.

From The Daily Beast

Once in London, Frederick presented himself as a fashionable man about town, entertaining freely and informally.

From The Daily Beast

The couple who raised Maria claimed she was informally adopted from a mother who could not cope.

From The Daily Beast

The Manhassets, who were native to the region, were also enslaved, but “more informally,” Griswold said.

From The Daily Beast

Schmitt watched English-language movies, and sought out a native speaker to converse with informally.

From The Daily Beast

She shook hands approvingly with the young American and asked her to come over informally to luncheon on the morrow.

From Project Gutenberg

When the Committee rose Sir Michael engaged me, informally, in conversation for a little while.

From Project Gutenberg

Nicolas Francken if the evidence showed him to have been guilty of any of the crimes informally alleged against him.

From Project Gutenberg

They attended church with exemplary formality, and flirted informally during service with the village beaux.

From Project Gutenberg

However informally the preliminaries had been conducted, the conclusion seemed to be eminently satisfactory.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• commonly
• consistently
• easily
• generally
• instinctively
• normally
• simply
• spontaneously
• typically
• uniformly
• usually