formal
1being in accordance with the usual requirements, customs, etc.; conventional: to pay one's formal respects.
marked by form or ceremony: a formal occasion.
designed for wear or use at occasions or events marked by elaborate ceremony or prescribed social observance: The formal attire included tuxedos and full-length gowns.
requiring a type of dress suitable for such occasions: a formal dance.
observant of conventional requirements of behavior, procedure, etc., as persons; ceremonious.
excessively ceremonious: a manner that was formal and austere.
being a matter of form only; perfunctory: We expected more than just formal courtesy.
made or done in accordance with procedures that ensure validity: a formal authorization.
of, relating to, or emphasizing the organization or composition of the constituent elements in a work of art perceived separately from its subject matter: a formal approach to painting; the formal structure of a poem.
being in accordance with prescribed or customary forms: a formal siege.
Theater. (of a stage setting) generalized and simplified in design, especially of architectural elements, and serving as a permanent set for a play irrespective of changes in location.
acquired in school; academic: He had little formal training in economics.
symmetrical or highly organized: a formal garden.
of, reflecting, or noting a usage of language in which syntax, pronunciation, etc., adhere to traditional standards of correctness and usage is characterized by the absence of casual, contracted, and colloquial forms: The paper was written in formal English.
Philosophy.
pertaining to form.
Aristotelianism. not material; essential.
Logic. formal logic.
pertaining to the form, shape, or mode of a thing, especially as distinguished from the substance: formal writing, bereft of all personality.
being such merely in appearance or name; nominal: a formal head of the government having no actual powers.
Mathematics.
(of a proof) in strict logical form with a justification for every step.
(of a calculation) correct in form; made with strict justification for every step.
(of a calculation, derivation, representation, or the like) of or relating to manipulation of symbols without regard to their meaning.
a dance, ball, or other social occasion that requires formalwear.
an evening gown.
in formal attire: We're supposed to go formal.
Origin of formal
1synonym study For formal
Other words for formal
5 | conforming, conformist |
6 | punctilious |
8 | legal, official |
Other words from formal
- for·mal·ness, noun
Words Nearby formal
Other definitions for formal (2 of 2)
Origin of formal
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use formal in a sentence
Broadly, the war is between the formal linguists and the sociolinguists.
Talking Is Throwing Fictional Worlds at One Another - Issue 89: The Dark Side | Kevin Berger | September 9, 2020 | NautilusTaking place after the 400-person formal dinner, it’s geared specifically toward younger people and costs less than one-third of the spring benefit’s entry-level ticket.
How nonprofits are catering to millennials and rethinking the charity gala for younger generations | Rachel King | September 7, 2020 | FortuneNo surprise, there’s been a trend away from formal event–oriented wear, but other than that there hasn’t been much change.
The CEO striving to make vintage, secondhand clothing as popular as fast fashion | Rachel King | September 6, 2020 | FortuneThose interactions are less formal than what you get with video-conferencing services.
Teemyco creates virtual offices so you can grab a room and talk with colleagues | Romain Dillet | September 4, 2020 | TechCrunchIt’s not as formal as perhaps a medical leave of absence where a third party is approving a leave request.
As a result, training squadrons—called formal Training Units (FTU)—are being staffed with less than half the people they need.
Exclusive: U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’ Air Force Says | Dave Majumdar | January 5, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTHe hoped also to be a chaplain through his local church, and he was nearing the end of his formal training.
“The psychology of BDSM is lacking in other formal training regiments and interactions,” added Stella.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau | Ian Frisch | December 20, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTI remember that he's a food-and-wine maven and rather formal.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days | David Freeman | December 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“To my knowledge, there was no formal consultation done with the tribes on this policy,” says Eid.
Tribes to U.S. Government: Take Your Weed and Shove It | Abby Haglage | December 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTTwice a year the formal invitation was sent out by the old nobleman to his only son, and to his two nephews.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James WillsVarious matters mentioned by the governor receive perfunctory and formal answers.
Tressan advanced to meet him, a smile of cordial welcome on his lips, and they bowed to each other in formal greeting.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniShe sat in a distant corner of the formal room discreetly lit by a shaded lamp.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol | William J. LockeThere were two hard formal-looking couches, with straight backs and spider legs.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James Wills
British Dictionary definitions for formal (1 of 2)
/ (ˈfɔːməl) /
of, according to, or following established or prescribed forms, conventions, etc: a formal document
characterized by observation of conventional forms of ceremony, behaviour, dress, etc: a formal dinner
methodical, precise, or stiff
suitable for occasions organized according to conventional ceremony: formal dress
denoting or characterized by idiom, vocabulary, etc, used by educated speakers and writers of a language
acquired by study in academic institutions: a formal education
regular or symmetrical in form: a formal garden
of or relating to the appearance, form, etc, of something as distinguished from its substance
logically deductive: formal proof
philosophy
of or relating to form as opposed to matter or content
pertaining to the essence or nature of something: formal cause
(in the writings of Descartes) pertaining to the correspondence between an image or idea and its object
being in the formal mode
denoting a second-person pronoun in some languages used when the addressee is a stranger, social superior, etc: in French the pronoun ``vous'' is formal, while ``tu'' is informal
Origin of formal
1Derived forms of formal
- formally, adverb
- formalness, noun
British Dictionary definitions for formal (2 of 2)
/ (ˈfɔːmæl) /
another name for methylal
Origin of formal
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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