formal

[ fawr-muhl ]

/ ˈfɔr məl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: formal / formals / formalness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

being 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.

noun

a dance, ball, or other social occasion that requires formalwear.

an evening gown.

adverb

in formal attire: We're supposed to go formal.

OTHER WORDS FOR formal

5 conforming, conformist.

6 punctilious.

8 legal, official.

See synonyms for formal on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of formal

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English formal, formel, from Latin fōrmālis; see form, -al¹

synonym study for formal

1, 2, 5, 6. Formal, academic, conventional may have either favorable or unfavorable implications. Formal may mean in proper form, or may imply excessive emphasis on empty form. In the favorable sense, academic applies to scholars or higher institutions of learning; it may, however, imply slavish conformance to mere rules, or to belief in impractical theories. Conventional, in a favorable sense, applies to desirable conformity with accepted conventions or customs; but it more often is applied to arbitrary, forced, or meaningless conformity.

OTHER WORDS FROM formal

for·mal·ness, noun

Words nearby formal

forlorn, forlorn hope, for love or money, form, formability, formal, formal cause, formaldehyde, formal equivalence, formalin, formalism

Other definitions for formal (2 of 2)

formal²

[ fawr-mal ]

/ ˈfɔr mæl /

noun Chemistry.

methylal.

Origin of formal

First recorded in 1895–1900; from formaldehyde

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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|Nautilus
Taking 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|Fortune
No 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|Fortune
Those 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|TechCrunch

It’s not as formal as perhaps a medical leave of absence where a third party is approving a leave request.
How managers can recognize burnout remotely|Kristine Gill|August 28, 2020|Fortune
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|DAILY BEAST
He hoped also to be a chaplain through his local church, and he was nearing the end of his formal training.
In The Shadow of Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“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|DAILY BEAST
I 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|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|DAILY BEAST
Twice 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 Wills
Various matters mentioned by the governor receive perfunctory and formal answers.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
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 Sabatini
She sat in a distant corner of the formal room discreetly lit by a shaded lamp.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
There 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)

formal¹

/ (ˈfɔːməl) /

adjective

of, according to, or following established or prescribed forms, conventions, etca formal document

characterized by observation of conventional forms of ceremony, behaviour, dress, etca formal dinner

methodical, precise, or stiff

suitable for occasions organized according to conventional ceremonyformal dress

denoting or characterized by idiom, vocabulary, etc, used by educated speakers and writers of a language

acquired by study in academic institutionsa formal education

regular or symmetrical in forma formal garden

of or relating to the appearance, form, etc, of something as distinguished from its substance

logically deductiveformal proof

philosophy

of or relating to form as opposed to matter or content
pertaining to the essence or nature of somethingformal 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, etcin French the pronoun ``vous'' is formal, while ``tu'' is informal

Derived forms of formal

formally, adverbformalness, noun

Word Origin for formal

C14: from Latin formālis

British Dictionary definitions for formal (2 of 2)

formal²

/ (ˈfɔːmæl) /

noun

another name for methylal

Word Origin for formal

C19: from form (ic) + -al ³

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

formal

OTHER WORDS FOR formal

Origin of formal

synonym study for formal

OTHER WORDS FROM formal

Words nearby formal

Other definitions for formal (2 of 2)

Origin of formal

Words related to formal

How to use formal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for formal (1 of 2)

Derived forms of formal

Word Origin for formal

British Dictionary definitions for formal (2 of 2)

Word Origin for formal