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.
A fossil dating back 240 million years has finally been formally identified after spending decades hidden inside a retaining wall.
From Science Daily • May 6, 2026
The British number one had been practising in Rome since Saturday and spoke to the media just 30 minutes before formally pulling out.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
Under Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Armenia has formally pursued a strategy of what he calls "diversification", in which the landlocked country pursues ties with both Russia and the West.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
This Easter, nearly 90 people took the Holy Communion to formally join the Catholic Church at St. Joe’s, more than double last year.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026
It was sheer chance that Marcus’s mother had not returned to her son’s apartment an hour before to say goodbye to Aurelia formally and make sure she got safely on her way.
From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks
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.
