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- pronunciation:
- for
m
 l
- parts of speech:
- adjective, noun, adverb
- features:
- Word Combinations (adjective), Word Explorer, Word Parts
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition 1: |
adhering to regulations or an officially recognized manner of operating; proper, legal, or official.
You will need a formal document to prove your ownership of the property.Our lawyer advised us to establish a formal agreement with our neighbors.Though he was well-read, he regretted his lack of formal education.The government is being forced to issue a formal apology.- synonyms:
- conventional, correct, official, proper
- antonyms:
- colloquial, informal
- similar words:
- customary, legal, observant, regular, routine, seemly, standard, stiff, strict
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| definition 2: |
in accordance with well-established, solemn or polite customs and conventions; ceremonious.
Her sisters had had formal church weddings, but she wanted to get married at the beach.It was a formal dinner party and the guests were assigned their places at the table.
- synonyms:
- ceremonial, ceremonious, solemn
- antonyms:
- casual, homey, informal, unconventional
- similar words:
- conventional, pompous, ritual
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| definition 3: |
relating to the external features of something, rather than its content or substance.
- similar words:
- aesthetic
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| definition 4: |
pertaining to the structural elements of something.
She did an analysis of the formal features of the dialect.- synonyms:
- structural
- similar words:
- organizational
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| definition 5: |
highly correct or proper in manner or tone, sometimes communicating coldness or stiffness.
His manner is rather formal, but you will find that he's a warm person when you get to know him.You don't need to be so formal with me. Please just call me "Frank."- synonyms:
- ceremonious, punctilious, reserved, stiff
- antonyms:
- chatty, easy, familiar
- similar words:
- conservative, prim, proper, stilted, strait-laced, stuffy
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| definition 6: |
suggesting or displaying refinement or elegance combined with propriety, sometimes at the expense of emotional or physical comfort.
That restaurant has such a formal atmosphere that I can't relax there.You'll have to wear formal attire to the dance.- antonyms:
- casual, informal
- similar words:
- fancy, stuffy
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| related words: |
ceremonious, distant, explicit, sober, stately |
| contrasting words: |
tacit |
adverb + (adj.)formal
less, purely
(adj.)formal
+ noun
acceptance,
adoption,
agreement,
alliance,
announcement,
apology,
approval,
arrangement,
assessment,
attire,
ceremony,
channel,
characteristic,
charge,
complaint,
composition,
consultation,
criteria,
curriculum,
declaration,
definition,
dialogue,
dining,
dinner,
dress,
education,
element,
employment,
equality,
evaluation,
framework,
garden,
gown,
greeting,
guideline,
independence,
innovation,
inquiry,
institution,
instruction,
interview,
introduction,
investigation,
invitation,
living,
logic,
mechanism,
meeting,
membership,
negotiation,
notice,
observation,
occasion,
organization,
participation,
partnership,
portrait,
preparation,
presentation,
procedure,
protest,
recognition,
referral,
relation,
request,
requirement,
rule,
schooling,
sector,
session,
setting,
structure,
teaching,
tie,
training,
treaty,
vocabulary,
wear,
wedding
[See all][See only the most frequent]
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| part of speech: |
noun |
| definition 1: |
a dance or other social event to which formal attire is worn.
Are you going to the winter formal?- synonyms:
- prom
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| definition 2: |
a formal dress, esp. an evening gown.
She's shopping for a formal to wear to the prom.- synonyms:
- dress
- similar words:
- gown
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| related words: |
ball, dance, dress, function |
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| part of speech: |
adverb |
| definition: |
(informal) in formal clothing.
He doesn't like to dress formal.- synonyms:
- formally
- similar words:
- fancily
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| derivations: |
formally (adv.), formality (n.) |
The word formal
contains the following parts:
form
Latin
root
that means shape, form
  Example words:
aliform, antiformalist, antireform, auriform, coliform, conform, conformable, conformal, conformance, conformation, conformity, cruciform, cubiform, cuneiform, deform, deformation, deformed, deformity, form, formal, formalism, formality, formalize, formally, format, formation, formative, formless, formula, formularize, formulary, formulate, formulize, fusiform, inform, informal, informality, informant, information, informed, informer, iodoform, malformation, malformed, misinform, multiform, napiform, oviform, piciform, piliform, reform, reformation, reformatory, reformed, reformer, reformist, reniform, semiformal, transform, transformation, transformer, unformed, uniform, uniformity, variform, vermiform
-al2, -ial, -ual
Latin
adjective-forming suffix
that means pertaining to
More about this word part:
The suffix -al2, -ial
attaches primarily to nouns ( national
, environmental
) but sometimes to Latin or Greek roots ( final
, capital
, comical
) to form adjectives. See also -ar1.
Example words:
abnormal, accidental, additional, aerial, agricultural, ancestral, annual, arboreal, artificial, astral, bacterial, biblical, biographical, brutal, capital, central, ceremonial, chemical, classical, clinical, coastal, colonial, comical, commercial, confidential, constitutional, continental, continual, controversial, conventional, criminal, critical, crucial, cultural, cylindrical, dental, detrimental, developmental, economical, editorial, educational, electrical, emotional, environmental, essential, equal, exceptional, experimental, facial, factual, federal, final, financial, floral, fluvial, formal, functional, fundamental, general, global, grammatical, guttural, habitual, historical, hysterical, illogical, immoral, impersonal, impractical, individual, industrial, ineffectual, influential, internal, legal, local, logical, lyrical, magical, maniacal, mathematical, memorial, mental, moral, mortal, musical, mythical, national, natural, nautical, neutral, normal, official, parental, pastoral, personal, philosophical, plural, pluralism, pluralistic, political, potential, quizzical, racial, rational, regional, irrational, intellectual, rhythmical, sacrificial, seasonal, spinal, spiritual, technological, territorial, theatrical, thermal, tidal, traditional, tribal, typical, universal, unnatural, veridical, verbal, virtual, vocal, visual
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