formalism
noun
strict adherence to, or observance of, prescribed or traditional forms, as in music, poetry, and art.
formalistic
-
a word derived from
formalism.
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.
The argument advanced by the IRS is a formalistic one that results in an absurdity: Cryptocurrency wasn’t explicitly included in the list of items that meet the “readily valued property” exemption to the appraisal rules.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026
Kabalevsky succumbed to Stalin’s decrees against formalistic art, and he has never been taken seriously in the West.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2025
As a filmmaker, Hogg is a seemingly incongruous blend of free-flowing and formalistic.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 27, 2021
The details in Shum’s memoir also highlight the limitations of more formalistic analysis of China’s political system.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 13, 2021
They attacked nothing with more vehemence than formalistic piety or practical religion divorced from righteousness.
From Outlines of a Philosophy of Religion based on Psychology and History by Auguste Sabatier
