The school uniform is convenient because it can be worn for both informal and formal occasions.
Source: tatoeba (21320)
Informal
/ɪnˈfɔɹm(ə)l/
Synonyms for "informal" (422 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (85)
Adjective(45 words)
ad hoc codinganecdotalanecdotal dataanecdotal observationanecdoticbonzerbreeziestcandidcarefree moodcasualcasual behaviorcasual daycasual errorcasual mannercasual observercasual phrasingcasual understandingchattierchattychummier
Show 25 more words
chummiestclinical practice without researchcockamamiecolloquialcolloquial englishcolloquial expressioncolloquial expressionscolloquial french vocabularycolloquial idiomcolloquial languagecolloquial modern greekcolloquial phrasescolloquial speechcolloquial termcolloquial usageconversational languageconversational language styleconversational languagesconvivialcopaceticcopaseticcosycozycustomary normsdialectal
Noun(18 words)
amateuramateur photographyanecdotal data sourceanecdotal evidenceback of envelope rulebackyardbizbootleggingcasual atmospherecasual speechchitchattingcolloquial dictioncolloquial englishescolloquial frenchcommon-law marriageconfabbingcussingcustomary law principles
Verb(1 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (126)
Verb(5 words)
Adjective(49 words)
doggierdoggonedutch group workeveryday activitieseveryday itemeveryday languageeveryday languageseveryday lingoeveryday speecheveryday tasksfolksierfolksiestfreehand cutting techniquefreehand measurementfreehand shapesgoofiergutsierhaphazard note-takinghumungousiffy
Show 29 more words
implicit practiceineffective styleinformal impressioninformal languageinformal memoinformal sharinginformal tipsinformal toneinformal wordingintimateirregular studylawless economylooselooserloyallerloyallestmental estimationnatural earthinessnatural logicsnon curricular areanon science unitnonacademic articlenonacademic categorynonacademic communitynonacademic community groupnonacademic craftnonacademic culturenonacademic subjectnonacademic term
Noun(30 words)
down at the heeldrabbletaileddraggleddraggletailedeasyeasygoingen deshabilleeverydayextemporaneousfamiliarfar outfolksyfreefree and easyfringyfrowzyfrumpishfrumpygarden-varietygracious
Determiner(1 words)
more animal
Related words (211)
Adjective(105 words)
nonacademic textnonalgorithmic methodnonbindingnonbinding agreementnonceremonialnonceremonial objectnoncivic contextnoncurriculum materialnoneducational descriptornoneducational frameworknoneducational space environmentnonformalnonformal speechnonjuridicalnonlegalnonlegal frameworknonstandard procedurenonstandard usagenonstatutory statusnontextbook
Show 85 more words
pallypersonal anecdoteposherrelaxedrough sketchslangierslangiestslangyslipperedslouchyspoken contractspoken conventionsspoken dialectspontaneoustalkyteenierunacademicuncodifiedundefined notationunenforcedungovernedunincorporated groupunmannerlyunofficialunofficial actunofficial ceremonyunofficial channelsunofficial french labelunofficial spaceunofficial statementunofficial textunplanned curriculumunplanned periodunplanned studyunrecorded agreementunrecorded testunregulated activitiesunregulated spaceunregulated substanceunregulated systemunstandardizedunstructuredunstructured activityunstructured approachunstructured classroomunstructured dataunstructured dayunstructured discussionunstructured environmentunstructured essayunstructured executionunstructured fieldunstructured formatunstructured guidanceunstructured inquiryunstructured instructionunstructured languageunstructured language inputunstructured learningunstructured learning activitiesunstructured lessonunstructured lesson planunstructured lessonsunstructured methodunstructured narrationunstructured note-takingunstructured notingunstructured observationunstructured phrasingunstructured planunstructured protocolunstructured riskunstructured setupunstructured studyunstructured systemunstructured talkunstructured templateunstructured textunsystematic inquiryunwrittenunwritten methodunwritten practicesunwritten protocolvernacular languagewonkier
Noun(41 words)
noneducatornonphysiologistnonprofessionalnonrigorous discoursensaoffstagesout of court resolutionout of court settlementpeddlingpidginpomopornopotluckrule of thumb methodschoolyard patchseersuckershirtsleevesketch diagramslang termstreet slang
Show 21 more words
street-marketswedish modteen slangtshirtumteenungoverned spaceunofficial examunofficial paperunregulated commerceunregulated practiceunstandardized measureunstructured brainstormingunstructured guessing processunstructured interpretationunwritten guidelineunwritten lawunwritten ruleunwritten rulesvulgatewriting tonezillions
nonstandardnot cricketnot donenot kosheroffbeatoffhandoffhandedordinaryoriginalout-of-the-wayoutgoingplainpokyprivateraggedraggedyrelaxedruinousscragglyscratch
Show 41 more words
seedyshabbyshoddysimpleslackslatternlyslipshodsloppyslovenlysluttishsociablesordidspecialspokenspontaneoussportysqualidsubstandardtackytatteredunaffectedunassumingunauthorizedunceremoniousunconstrainedunconventionaluneducatedunfashionableunfussyunkemptunliteraryunneatunofficialunorthodoxunpretentiousunreservedunsightlyunstudieduntidyvernacularway out
Adjective(3 words)
not formalnot in accord with the usual regulationssuited for everyday use
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abrupt, ad hoc coding, affable, amateur, amateur photography.
- Sentence evidence is available for informal, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss, wiktionary, 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 "informal".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "informal"
Keep "informal" 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 "informal" 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 "informal", 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 "informal" 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
2 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
6 entriesinformal assessmentinformal dressinformal languageinformal settinginformal styleinformal tone
Inflections
2 entriesmore informalmost informal
Derivations
4 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
21 entriesShowing 16 of 21 words.
Sample sentences
17 total sentences available.
It was only an informal party.
Source: tatoeba (33047)
It's quite an informal meeting.
Source: tatoeba (62165)
Women's Liberation is a broad-based but informal popular movement.
Source: tatoeba (65673)
Showing 4 of 17 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "informal"?
Closest matches include abrupt, ad hoc coding, affable, amateur, amateur photography.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "informal"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.