I utterly despise formal writing!
Source: tatoeba (1470)
Formal
/ˈfɔɹməl/
Synonyms for "formal" (724 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (145)
Noun(36 words)
academic analysisacademic community eventsacademic honors ceremonyacademic journalacademic languageacademic language styleacademic phraseaddressing termalgorithm design methodologyalgorithmizingarchaeological reportauthorizingballballroomboardroom levelbody text serif designbroadsheetbureaucratic apparatusbusiness meetingcabinet secretary
Show 16 more words
castlereaghceremonial bowlceremonial dressceremonial maceceremonial protocolceremonial water bowlchurch gardencity hall suiteclass forumclassical adjectiveclassical designclassical music compositionclassical thoughtclassroom directiveclassroom standard languageclub president
Adjective(75 words)
academic communitiesacademic community leadersacademic community resourcesacademic conceptacademic descriptorsacademic dictionacademic diction usageacademic dissentacademic enumerationacademic frenchacademic goalacademic grammaracademic logicianacademic structureacademic styleacademic techniqueacademic termacademic textacademic toneacademic topic
Show 55 more words
academic vocabularyacademic worldadministrative actadministrative descriptoradministrative officesadministrative practicealgebraicalgorithmic approachalgorithmic languagesalgorithmic problem solvingamerican war for independenceanalytic logiciananalytic methodanalyticalanalytical frameworkarticulentattic poetryballbiblical syntaxbookishbureaucraticbureaucratic culturebureaucratic rulescentral government styleceremonialceremonial actceremonial actionceremonial attireceremonial covenantceremonial declineceremonial dutiesceremonial eventceremonial itemceremonial momentceremonial normsceremonial objectceremonial objectsceremonial pledgeceremonial public-speechceremonial regaliaceremonial staffceremonial swordceremonial toolceremonial urnceremonialisticceremonychurchlikecivilized discourseclassic roman numeralsclassical art techniqueclassical compositionclassical concertclassical music compositionsclassical musical piececlassical symphonies
acceptedacknowledgedadjectivaladmittedadverbialaloofanatomicapprovedarchitectonicarchitecturalarrangedattributiveauthorizedawkwardbaccalaureate servicebaptismalbeing donebloatedbombasticbusinesslike
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Verb(2 words)
assess linguistic abilitybuttoned
Strong matches (217)
Noun(39 words)
common phrases in portuguesecomputer science conceptcongratulatingcontractual relationcopperplate scriptcourteous remarkcourtship ritualcrinolinedata templatede offizielldebugging analysisdeductive reasoningdesign modeldinner dressdinner gowndrawing roomdutch stijfeducational institutiones oficialevening gown
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governing bodiesgovernment agency formgovernment agency guidelineshackneyinginstitutional affiliationinstitutional normsinstitutional orientedinstitutionalization standardinstructional routineinterrogatorylaw codelegal bodylinguistic attributelofortyxlogic conceptlogic scholarlogical propositionsmass registermaster disconnect
Adjective(69 words)
common social virtuecomputational logicianconstitutional checks and balancesconstrainedconventionalcorporate ethicscourtliestcourtlydeductive logicdignified demeanordressiestdressy patterndutifuleducationaleducational curriculumelectrical terminologyelevatedesteemed institutioneventevidenced findings
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executive body decisionsexecutive council reportexecutive summary writingfederal government styleformal descriptorformal dictionformal englishformal languageformal language useformal stylegalagentlemanlygovernmental agenciesgovernmental agencygrammatical usagegrammatical wordgrave demeanorhigh culture traditionshistorical writinginnumerousinstitutionalinstitutional annalsinstitutional arrangementinstitutional arrangementsinstitutional descriptorinstitutional frameworkinstitutional gardeninstitutional governanceinstitutional policyinstitutional terminteger descriptorintellectual climateklassische musik komponierenlegal action noticelegal documentslegal procedurelegal tabletlinguistic detachmentlinguistic formliterary society journalliturgicallocal government stylelogicallogical conclusionlogical frameworklogical justificationlogical methodlogical predicatesmath-booklike
conditionalconfiningconformableconjunctiveconstructionalconventionalconventionalizedconvocationcopulativecorrectcourtlycrampedcumbrouscustomaryde rigueurdecentdecorousdefinitedemuredignified
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diminutivedistantdress uniformearnestedificialelephantineelevatedempty formalityepitheticestablishedeucharisticevening dressexactexactingexerciseexercisesexplicitexpressextrinsicfixedflatulentforcedformal dressformalistformalisticformalityformalizedformationalformativeformulaicformularformularyfrowningfull dressfunctionfunctionalgallantgassygenteelglossematicgraduationgraduation exercisesgrammaticgrammaticalgrandiloquentgravegrimgrim-facedgrim-visagedguindehabitualhaltingharmoniousheavyhigh churchhigh-churchhonorifichypocoristicimpersonalin handin name onlyinauguralinaugurationinflatedinflexibleinitiationinkhornintransitiveknightlylaboredlatinatelawfulleadenlegallegalisticlimitedlinkingliteraryliturgicliturgicalliturgisticliturgylong facedlong-facedlumbering
Verb(3 words)
Pronoun(1 words)
it ufficiale
Related words (362)
Adjective(136 words)
mathematical conceptsmathematical definitionmathematical logicmathematical logicsmathematical notationmathematical rulemathematical systemmayoral powersmayoral responsibilitiesmayoralisticmedical diagnosticianmunicipal government stylemuseum-likenatural scientistofficialofficial ceremonyofficial channelsofficial codeofficial communicationofficial data
Show 116 more words
official documentofficial formatofficial introductionofficial letterofficial mandateofficial memorandumofficial national capitalofficial policiesofficial policyofficial proceduresofficial recordsofficial reportofficial rulebookofficial sanctionofficial sealofficial specificationofficial textsold formoperational risk managementoral temperature check protocolorganized clubpaperlikeparliamentaryparliamentary bold moveparliamentary lawmakingparliamentary levelperfunctorypolitical procedurepresidentialpresidential cabinetspresidential orderpresidential styleprime ministerial dutiesprime ministerial protocolprimmestprivate club etiquetteproceduralprocedural drillprocedural methodprofessionalprofessional demeanorprofessional dictionprofessional historian perspectiveprofessional jargonprofessional languageprofessional mathematicianproperproper languageproper methodpropositionalpropositional connectivepropositional formulapt oficialpublic institution boardpure mathematicsreligious followersrigorous scienceritual tasksschematicscholarlyscholarly fieldscholarly studyscholarly termscholarly tonescientific discoursescientific phrasingsenatorial romansolemn vowsolemnersolemnestspecial meetingstaiderstandard languagestandard language policystandard varietystandardized written language assessmentstarchierstarchieststarchystate institutionstate servicesstated policy stancestatelieststatelystiffeststiffishstodgierstodgystrict burial-action protocolstrict discipline environmentstructuredstuffiestsubdued floralssymbolic implementsymbolic languagesymbolic logic languagesymbolic logic systemsymbolic termsymbolicalsyntactic systemsystematicsystematic observationtechnical fieldstechnical inquiriestechnical systemtheoretictheoretical logictribal counciltribal council minutestribal council proceedingsuptightvestmentalwell-spokenwritten communicationwritten language conventionswritten-law sources
Noun(79 words)
mathematical descriptormathematical groupmathematical languagemathematical logicianmathematical termmilitary briefingmore academicmore bureaucraticmore ceremonialmore corporatemore mathematicalmore officialmore schoollikemost academic disciplinemost approvedmost ceremonialmost math programlikemost officialmost presidentialmost presidential speech
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nl officieelofficial arrangementofficial endorsementofficial statementorgandyoutward formpaperpinstripepolicy brief stylepolicy making processpolicy-area analysispredicate logicsprocedural gapprofessional conductprofessional licenseproformaproject formatproject management planpublic safety office procedurespublic statementratifyingregimental standardreport writing styleresearch documentresearch planro oficialruling body decisionsruling-body policysales contractsscholarly articlescholarly dictionschool clothingschool spanish vocabularyscientific datasigning ceremonysolemn pledgesolemn promisesolemnizingspanish oficialstandard language formstandard usestiff movementstylistic guidesv officiellsyllogisticsyllogistic reasoningsymbolic calculussymbolic logicalsystematic evidence gatheringtechnical languagetextbook registertextbook styletheoretical biologytheoretical computer sciencetraining coursewar councilwriting tonewritten demandwritten guarantee
meetmethodicalmodalmorphologicalmorphoticmummerynominalnominativenormalobservanceofficeofficialold worldold-fashionedold-worldorderedorderlyorganicorganismalorthodox
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ostensibleoutwardparliamentaryparticipialpaschalpedanticperformanceperfunctoryplasticpolitepompousponderouspontificalpostpositionalpreciseprepositionalprescribedpretendedpriggishprimpro formaprofessedpronominalproperprudishpunctiliouspurportedquasireceivedrecognizedregaliaregularreligious ceremonyreservedrightrigidriterite de passagerite of passageritualritualisticroutinesacramentalsacramentarianscholasticsedateseemlyself-calledself-christenedself-consciousself-containedself-importantself-styledseriousservicesesquipedaliansetso calledso-calledsobersober-mindedsobersidedsoi-disantsolemnsolemnitysolemnizationsombersquarestaidstandardstarchedstatestatelysteadystiffstiltedstone facedstone-facedstraightstraight facedstraight-facedstrait-lacedstraitenedstrictstructuralstuffystylizedsubstantivesubstructuralsuperficialsuperstructuralsupposedsurfaceswollensymmetricalsyntacticsystematictagmemictailstectonictexturalthoughtfultitulartraditionaltransitivetumidturgidtuxedounbendingunchanginguniformunsmilingunwieldyusualverbalweightywell-orderedwell-regulatedwould bewould-be
Adverb(3 words)
more mature approachmore parliamentary levelmost standard language form
Determiner(2 words)
most criminal-codemost document-type
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: academic analysis, academic communities, academic community events, academic community leaders, academic community resources.
- Sentence evidence is available for formal, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "formal".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "formal"
Keep "formal" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "formal" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "formal", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "formal" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
10 entriesMore specific
11 entriesbanquetceremonialceremonydanceformal curriculumformal dictionformal instructionformal schoolingformal toneofficialtraditional
Collocations
9 entriesformal assessmentformal attireformal ceremonyformal dressformal educationformal eventformal invitationformal languageschool formal
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
8 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
25 entriesShowing 16 of 25 words.
Sample sentences
24 total sentences available.
The school uniform is convenient because it can be worn for both informal and formal occasions.
Source: tatoeba (21320)
We need some formal instruction in literature.
Source: tatoeba (23484)
Boy, did she have egg on her face when she showed up at the formal party wearing blue jeans!
Source: tatoeba (24902)
Showing 4 of 24 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "formal"?
Closest matches include academic analysis, academic communities, academic community events, academic community leaders, academic community resources.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "formal"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.