informally

American  

[in-fawr-muh-lee] / ɪnˈfɔr mə li /

adverb

1. in a casual manner, without formality.

   Some folks still dress to the nines in formal gowns and tuxedos, but most people dress more informally.

2. in a way that does not involve or follow prescribed procedures or go through formal or official channels.

   Cases of minor misconduct or unsatisfactory performance are usually best dealt with informally.

3. in a way that is not orchestrated or arranged.

   Hallways and pedestrian bridges joining the buildings provide spaces for researchers to interact informally.

4. using familiar, casual, or ordinary speech or writing.

   We use different registers, speaking more informally with family and friends out of the classroom than when discussing academics within the classroom.

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Other Word Forms

• quasi-informally adverb
• superinformally adverb

Etymology

Origin of informally

informal ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

In this alternate past, a fatal blood virus, known informally as the Red Wind, has been ravaging the population for about a decade.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Peter Lund and his late wife Andrea informally "adopted" Diaco when they grew to know him and love him.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

Milei’s financiers have started informally dickering with investors over pricing the next issue, which should fly around current yields in a market hungry for emerging market exposure, Grills predicts.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Epstein referred clients to her and he “also informally reached out to me for advice from time to time just as he did with numerous other prominent lawyers throughout the country,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 20, 2026

He was a genial fireplug of a man who spoke informally, like someone from the neighborhood.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

Related Words

• commonly
• consistently
• easily
• generally
• instinctively
• normally
• simply
• spontaneously
• typically
• uniformly
• usually