Antonyms for formal
| Grammar : Adj |
| Spell : fawr-muh l |
| Phonetic Transcription : ˈfɔr məl |
Definition of formal
Origin :- late 14c., from Old French formel (13c.) and directly from Latin formalis, from forma (see form (n.)). As a noun, c.1600 (plural) "things that are formal;" as a short way to say formal dance, recorded by 1906, U.S. college students.
- adj established, orderly
- adj stiff, affected, correct
- Yet the superscription is of his dictating, I dare say, for he is a formal wretch.
- Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson
- Again, the girl made her formal response in the affirmative, then left the room.
- Extract from : « Within the Law » by Marvin Dana
- It is not a thing for which one can render formal thanks in formal words.
- Extract from : « De Profundis » by Oscar Wilde
- The tone was formal, and put Payne ten thousand leagues away from her.
- Extract from : « Quaint Courtships » by Various
- He had known Jack's governor for years, and so a too formal introduction was unnecessary.
- Extract from : « The Underdog » by F. Hopkinson Smith
- All this was equivalent to my formal adoption as Mr. Stewart's son.
- Extract from : « In the Valley » by Harold Frederic
- They parted, however, without establishing any formal acquaintance.
- Extract from : « Night and Morning, Complete » by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
- A formal ceremony preliminary to the reconciliation of two enemies.
- Extract from : « The Devil's Dictionary » by Ambrose Bierce
- She enclosed a formal refusal of the invitation to the Haberdashers' Assistants' Ball.
- Extract from : « Roden's Corner » by Henry Seton Merriman
- When the formal ceremonies were ended I again arose and addressed the Emperor.
- Extract from : « City of Endless Night » by Milo Hastings
Synonyms for formal
- academic
- aloof
- approved
- by the numbers
- ceremonial
- ceremonialistic
- ceremonious
- confirmed
- conventional
- decorous
- directed
- distant
- exact
- explicit
- express
- fixed
- formalistic
- lawful
- legal
- methodical
- nominal
- official
- playing the game
- polite
- precise
- prescribed
- prim
- pro forma
- proper
- punctilious
- regular
- reserved
- rigid
- ritual
- ritualistic
- seemly
- sententious
- set
- solemn
- starched
- stately
- stereotyped
- stereotypical
- stilted
- straight arrow
- strict
- stuffy
- systematic
- unbending
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019