formalize
Americanverb (used with object)
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formalizes,
present (3rd person singular)
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formalized,
past participle, past
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formalizing
present participle
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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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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formalizesimple
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formalizessimple
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have formalizedperfect
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has formalizedperfect
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am formalizingprogressive
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are formalizingprogressive
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is formalizingprogressive
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have been formalizingperfect progressive
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has been formalizingperfect progressive
Past
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formalizedsimple
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had formalizedperfect
-
was formalizingprogressive
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were formalizingprogressive
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had been formalizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of formalize
Explanation
To formalize something is to give it an official kind of status, like when you formalize an agreement by signing a contract. Two people can formalize their love and commitment to each other by getting married, and your grandparents can formalize their plan to leave their money to a certain charity by writing a will. In fact, one good way to formalize almost anything is to draw up a legal document. This verb comes from formal and its root that means "a shape or a form."
Vocabulary lists containing formalize
Content Summary 2.3: Greek and Hellenistic States in the Classical Mediterranean
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The Classical Period, c. 600 BCE to c. 600 CE
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The Postclassical Period, c. 600 CE to c. 1450
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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.
See Examples For:
The time may have arrived, judging at least from your letter, to formalize the roles family members and employees have in his life, and that comes with accountability.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
Canada also adjusted and is looking to formalize a closer economic relationship with the European Union.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2026
Boeing on Friday added that it was working to formalize a procedure with airlines that would allow pilots to restore automated flight guidance in case the glitch occurs.
From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026
Their results, presented at a visualization science conference, formalize Schrödinger's model of color and show that these familiar color qualities are built into the structure of color perception itself.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 7, 2026
He promised he’d formalize the relationship when the time was right.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
“This center formalizes and elevates the Tar Pits’ role as the world’s leading hub for Ice Age research,” Bettison-Varga said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2026
This shift largely formalizes what the Biden administration had already been doing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 1, 2025
Tuesday’s announcement essentially formalizes what has already been happening across the industry this year.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 19, 2023
Feb. 18, 2022: The Fed formalizes a new ethics policy, broadens the scope of what officials can't do and extends the rules to family members.
From Reuters ● Oct. 4, 2023
It widens the scope of history, and more precisely formalizes its functions.
From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 17, No. 097, January, 1876 by Various
There may have been growing competition over resources, control of movement, and more formalized leadership structures.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026
“But he never formalized it as a therapy treatment. Nobody has. Now it’s taking off, it’s definitely rising.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
From the moment the command center had been established at the Rose Bowl, “evacuation operations were not formalized within the incident organization,” according to the report, even as some on-the-ground believed it had been.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
But we did — around the Declaration of Independence and the belief in individual liberty and equality, as formalized in the Bill of Rights.
From Salon ● Aug. 30, 2026
Internal conflict resolution within states has become increasingly formalized by laws, a judiciary, and police.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Mario Carneiro, a younger man who sometimes clashes with Mr. de Moura, possesses an unquenchable passion for formalizing proofs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Abreu lobbied to make El Sistema part of the Venezuelan government, formalizing music education as a human right.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
The White House is considering a cybersecurity-focused executive order that could include formalizing a government oversight group to create standards for the most powerful AI models, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
That streak may end this Wednesday as the Scott Bessent-led department is expected to update this language in its policy statement, formalizing the “preliminary” considerations for hikes mentioned in the previous announcement.
From Barron's ● May 4, 2026
It was complemented by logical symbolism and logical calculus, very successful in formalizing dualism, and in eliminating logical models not fitting the dualistic structure.
From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Mihai Nadin
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