formally
Americanadverb
-
in a formal manner.
The store was formally opened on Tuesday.
-
as regards form; in form.
It may be formally correct, but it is substantively wrong.
Etymology
Origin of formally
Compare meaning
How does formally compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Formally describes something done according to an established custom, like dressing formally for dinner with the President, as people always have done. In our casual era of wearing jeans almost everywhere and calling our elders by their first name, it's not every day that you meet someone who acts, speaks, or dresses more formally. But there is still value in this kind of expression, especially in showing respect on important occasions like weddings and funerals. Another meaning of the adverb formally is "officially," like being formally invited to dinner at the White House.
Vocabulary lists containing formally
Commonly Confused Words, List 1
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"LAFFF"
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Commonly Confused Words, List 3
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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.
Lucy McGill, from Bedale, has lived with dyscalculia all her life - and her 11-year-old daughter Ava was formally diagnosed last year.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
The U.S. formally recognized Danish sovereignty in 1916 as a condition for its purchase of the Danish West Indies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026
The FDA formally recognized the dye as a carcinogen in 1990, banning its use in cosmetics and externally applied drugs.
From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026
Vatican footage showed Macron and Leo -- a more reserved character than Francis -- greeting each other formally in their first meeting, and speaking English.
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
Kweku asked Ifemelu, tentatively, almost formally; he, too, knew she was suffering from a breakup.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
