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form letter

American  

noun

  1. a standardized letter that can be sent to any number of persons, occasionally personalized by inserting the name of each recipient in the salutation.


form letter British  

noun

  1. a single copy of a letter that has been mechanically reproduced in large numbers for circulation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of form letter

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

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.

After my first mammogram, I received the form letter informing me that I was a member of the dense-breast-tissue club.

From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026

Sylvia confirmed she had received a written apology, which she she described as "like a form letter" but had not seen an action plan the trust had been told to provide.

From BBC • Dec. 16, 2025

They grabbed pan dulce and coffee, fact sheets and a form letter arguing in favor of Carrillo’s proposed legislation, and vented about what they claimed was decades of political neglect.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2024

Apple Music sent a form letter, too, though it included a tantalizing clue: the name of the company that had uploaded the songs.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2024

The next morning, I found a form letter on my bedside table.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan

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