formalism
noun
strict adherence to, or observance of, prescribed or traditional forms, as in music, poetry, and art.
formalist
-
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.
More than 100 of his creations made from the 1950s through the 1980s outline his career, from its beginnings in functional pottery to explorations in abstract formalist constructions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
In the 51-page, partially redacted document, Sir Peter said Harry's lawyers had taken "an inappropriate, formalist interpretation of the Ravec process".
From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2024
Twenty years after the formalist poet Anthony Hecht died, he seems to be having a mini-revival with the simultaneous release, from separate publishers, of a biography and a vast collected poems.
From New York Times ● Jan. 18, 2024
Aster may ultimately be too much the formalist control freak to achieve the crazy, let-it-all-hang-out catharsis he’s chasing, and the elaborate trap he’s engineered for Beau seems to close, finally, on himself.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2023
The formalist knows exactly the proper interval between receiving and returning a visit; he expects you on the exact day at the exact time; if you fail, he thinks himself neglected and takes offence.
From Diderot and the Encyclopædists (Vol 1 of 2) by John Morley
