1
: the shape, size, and general makeup (as of something printed)
2
: general plan of organization, arrangement, or choice of material (as for a television show)
3
: a method of organizing data (as for storage)
various file formats
formatted; formatting
1
: to arrange (something, such as material to be printed or stored data) in a particular format
2
: to prepare (something, such as a computer disk) for storing data in a particular format
formatter
noun
Synonyms
Examples of format in a Sentence
Noun
The journals are available in electronic format.
The file is saved in MP3 format.
Verb
The book is formatted in several different styles.
The data was improperly formatted.
Recent Examples on the Web
Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
This marked the series’ shift to the first-person shooter/exploration format most people would associate with the franchise today, and was the point at which Fallout went from being a cult favorite to massively popular video game IP.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2024
Announcing the format changes, WPR said the changes were the result of two years of audience research and analysis.
—Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
Try teal spirals or striped acid yellow tapers in silver candleholders topped with jade rings or pale blue ones that look like large format rigatoni bent into interesting shapes.
—Devra Ferst, Bon Appétit, 11 Apr. 2024
The overwhelming footage will likely be a sensation in the IMAX format, given the audience response.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
That’s why the ideal format for tracing the Kim’s story is oral history—a project that this movie only hints at.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2024
The website modified the sales format for this new North American leg, including staggered sales times during the day for multiple shows in one city, like Miami.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024
Available in a dress watch format based upon the 44GS of 1967, the new Caliber 9SA4 is housed in a 38.6mm titanium or 18K rose gold case boasting a sapphire box crystal, a sapphire caseback, 30 m of water resistance, and a thickness of just 9.95 mm.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024
Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2024
But about 1,000 of the episodes needed to be manually checked because they were formatted too poorly for a computer program to interpret.
—Emmett Lindner, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2023
Apps formatted specifically for automotive use have become increasingly popular in recent years
Porsche, meanwhile, has a new supplier in sight: Google.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 30 Oct. 2023
The Internship Experience Interns in tax accounting often start with foundational tasks like formatting PDFs, entering numbers into spreadsheets, and importing them into tax software.
—Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Education assignment at Marquette Course: Child and Adolescent Development and Learning
Assignment: Find five sources for a research paper on an education topic of your choice, cite the sources in APA formatting and summarize each source in four to six sentences.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
Give me a list of techniques for improving readability through choosing appropriate fonts, sizes, and text formatting for my work presentation.
—Rachel Wells, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
Even with those funds rolling in, though, the organization’s antiquated official website still seems to be formatted for internet users from more than a decade ago.
—Variety, NBC News, 22 Jan. 2024
An education editor will ensure that the chapters are written and formatted appropriately for secondary learners, and a graphic artist will be brought on board to contribute.
—The Arizona Republic, 10 Jan. 2024
Noun
This session’s tournament will be round-robin format, with each competitor playing in turns against each other.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2024
This marked the series’ shift to the first-person shooter/exploration format most people would associate with the franchise today, and was the point at which Fallout went from being a cult favorite to massively popular video game IP.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 12 Apr. 2024
Announcing the format changes, WPR said the changes were the result of two years of audience research and analysis.
—Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2024
Try teal spirals or striped acid yellow tapers in silver candleholders topped with jade rings or pale blue ones that look like large format rigatoni bent into interesting shapes.
—Devra Ferst, Bon Appétit, 11 Apr. 2024
The overwhelming footage will likely be a sensation in the IMAX format, given the audience response.
—Matt Donnelly, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024
That’s why the ideal format for tracing the Kim’s story is oral history—a project that this movie only hints at.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2024
The website modified the sales format for this new North American leg, including staggered sales times during the day for multiple shows in one city, like Miami.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2024
Available in a dress watch format based upon the 44GS of 1967, the new Caliber 9SA4 is housed in a 38.6mm titanium or 18K rose gold case boasting a sapphire box crystal, a sapphire caseback, 30 m of water resistance, and a thickness of just 9.95 mm.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024
Verb
The Format The book interweaves the storylines throughout, while the series is formatted so that each character gets their own episode.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 14 Mar. 2024
But about 1,000 of the episodes needed to be manually checked because they were formatted too poorly for a computer program to interpret.
—Emmett Lindner, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2023
Apps formatted specifically for automotive use have become increasingly popular in recent years
Porsche, meanwhile, has a new supplier in sight: Google.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 30 Oct. 2023
The Internship Experience Interns in tax accounting often start with foundational tasks like formatting PDFs, entering numbers into spreadsheets, and importing them into tax software.
—Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024
Education assignment at Marquette Course: Child and Adolescent Development and Learning
Assignment: Find five sources for a research paper on an education topic of your choice, cite the sources in APA formatting and summarize each source in four to six sentences.
—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024
Give me a list of techniques for improving readability through choosing appropriate fonts, sizes, and text formatting for my work presentation.
—Rachel Wells, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
Even with those funds rolling in, though, the organization’s antiquated official website still seems to be formatted for internet users from more than a decade ago.
—Variety, NBC News, 22 Jan. 2024
An education editor will ensure that the chapters are written and formatted appropriately for secondary learners, and a graphic artist will be brought on board to contribute.
—The Arizona Republic, 10 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'format.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing format
Dictionary Entries Near format
Cite this Entry
“Format.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/format. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
format
1 of 2 noun
for·mat
ˈfȯ(ə)r-ˌmat 
1
: the general organization or arrangement of something
2
: a method of organizing data (as for storage)
a file format
format
2 of 2 verb
formatted; formatting
1
: to produce in a particular format
2
: to prepare for storing computer data
format the disk
More from Merriam-Webster on format
Nglish: Translation of format for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of format for Arabic Speakers
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