formalize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to make formal, especially for the sake of official or authorized acceptance.
to formalize an understanding by drawing up a legal contract.
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to give a definite form or shape to.
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to state or restate (the rules or implied rules of a grammar or the like) in symbolic form.
verb
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to be or make formal
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(tr) to make official or valid
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(tr) to give a definite shape or form to
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logic to extract the logical form of (an expression), to express in the symbols of some formal system
Other Word Forms
- formalization noun
- formalizer noun
- overformalize verb
- unformalized adjective
Etymology
Origin of formalize
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 measure was formalized by a decree after publication in the gazette.
From Barron's
Whether to take steps to formalize a temporary address was a decision that some debated.
From Los Angeles Times
A year after meeting the Ukrainian woman, who had expressed hesitation about Tisch’s age, the NFL mogul wanted to formalize their relationship.
By formalizing these names, legislators are bridging this gap, reconnecting these modern identities to their 3,000-year-old roots.
Seeking to avoid another blunder, board members formalized its succession planning, establishing a committee led by Gorman, who instituted a more rigorous evaluation.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
