formulate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
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to put into or express in systematic terms; express in or as if in a formula
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to devise
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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formulationnoun
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formulatornoun
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nonformulationnoun
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preformulationnoun
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preformulateverb (used with object)
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formulableadjective
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unformulatedadjective
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well-formulatedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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formulatesimple
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formulatessimple
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have formulatedperfect
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has formulatedperfect
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am formulatingprogressive
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are formulatingprogressive
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is formulatingprogressive
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have been formulatingperfect progressive
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has been formulatingperfect progressive
Past
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formulatedsimple
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had formulatedperfect
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was formulatingprogressive
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were formulatingprogressive
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had been formulatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of formulate
Explanation
To formulate is to come up with a plan. If you are locked out of your house, you'll need to formulate a plan to get back inside — preferably one that doesn't involve kicking in the door. You can also use the verb formulate to mean "put into words." If too many people are showing up at your work in inappropriate clothes, your company may formulate a dress code policy. They may, for example, decree that shoes must be worn at all times. The verb can also mean "to develop a formula for something." If the dog ate the chicken you were going to use in your dinner, you may need to formulate a new recipe for chicken-less pot pie.
Vocabulary lists containing formulate
Tier 2 Words for the SBAC ELA Items
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Shape Up: Form
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
AFP has a deal with Mistral allowing the company's chatbot to draw on the news agency's articles to formulate responses.
From Barron's ● May 28, 2026
Radcliffe hoped they would formulate a set of bipartisan recommendations to the state legislature.
From Salon ● May 12, 2026
On Tuesday, the county Board of Supervisors stepped in and directed staff to formulate a plan to speed up payments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2026
Prasad, the former AI leader, held several emergency meetings with staff to formulate a plan to compete, people familiar with the matter said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
I wanted to tell him that I loved him, that I hoped with all my heart that he would get better, but I could not formulate the words in my mouth.
From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride
A "reasoning model" trained on task-specific examples interprets the goal and formulates Phantom's action plan.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
The typical comedy equation is tragedy plus time; “Diarra From Detroit” formulates an alternate calculation that joins crisis and unanswered questions.
From Salon ● Apr. 2, 2024
Not the official fundraising and administrative apparatus that runs conventions and formulates policy platforms, but the broad constellation of think tanks, nonprofits, academic experts, and journalists that collectively regulates the liberal intellectual atmosphere.
From Slate ● Mar. 19, 2024
Mr. Schumer is seeking to craft a comprehensive AI bill and has started talking with his House Republican counterparts as he formulates such a legislative package.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 3, 2023
“Who formulates the policies of these two companies?”
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
That question naturally leads to another: Could quantum mechanics be formulated using only real numbers?
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
Angelica Salas, who heads one of Los Angeles’ most influential immigrant rights groups, met regularly last summer with City Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez — himself the son of Mexican immigrants — as they formulated a response.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 2026
Through a partnership with sustainability brand ChoViva—owned by Germany’s Planet A Foods—it created a product formulated from fermented and roasted sunflower seeds and oats.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
Pakistan has formulated a team of subject matter specialists to facilitate the two sides in negotiations on navigation, nuclear and other key matters, a diplomatic source familiar with the matter told AFP.
From Barron's ● Apr. 11, 2026
But as the words formulated in his brain, something else flew out entirely.
From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai
The U.S. has no federal laws requiring AI companies to either restrict or disclose queries about making weapons or formulating plans that pose a safety threat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Paris and Berlin want "to have a Franco-German roadmap on this issue by September", he said, adding that their economy, finance and foreign ministers had been tasked with formulating the plan.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
You’re not formulating an answer when you’re watching a movie.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
The BBC understands UK government officials are also formulating plans to potentially evacuate British nationals from the Middle East, should airspace in the region remain closed.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026
Rocking on his stool as the train wound over the mountains, Smith began formulating a training plan.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
