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.
With the visibility of Dorothy, Marshall and future openly queer descendants, will a time come when LGBTQ+ perspectives are formally recognized at Monticello?
From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026
His eldest son, Flávio, was formally nominated as the right-wing candidate on Saturday at a party convention attended by Argentine President Javier Milei, an ideological ally.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
A motion to that effect, proposed by the Green administration, was formally agreed at a meeting of Lewisham's full council at the Town Hall on Wednesday.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Now, researchers in the Gulf of California have documented a behavior that has never been formally described before.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 23, 2026
When children were formally admitted to the city organization, the god of the ceremony was Hephaestus.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
