1
as in to express
to convey in appropriate or telling terms
the doctor was trying to formulate a good way to tell her that she would need surgery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to prepare
to put (something) into proper and usually carefully worked out written form
a writer planning to formulate a response to what he considered a very unfair review of his work
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of formulate
The higher water content alters the texture, and most baking recipes are formulated assuming a higher percentage of fat.
—
Rosemary Trout, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Apparently this design is inspired by Viennese coffee house culture, a reference to where plenty of the foundational theories of modern football were discussed and formulated.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Use cleaners specially formulated for wood furniture or hardwood floors for a gentler clean.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
Each pre-workout brand can be formulated differently, so the potential side effects will vary from product to product.
—Patty Weasler, Verywell Health, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for formulate
Rosemary Trout, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Apparently this design is inspired by Viennese coffee house culture, a reference to where plenty of the foundational theories of modern football were discussed and formulated.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 10 June 2026
Use cleaners specially formulated for wood furniture or hardwood floors for a gentler clean.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 10 June 2026
Each pre-workout brand can be formulated differently, so the potential side effects will vary from product to product.
—Patty Weasler, Verywell Health, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for formulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formulate
Verb
-
Kwon’s lawyer Sean Hecker said in an email after the sentencing that Kwon spoke from the heart, expressed genuine remorse and will continue his efforts to make amends.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Governor Wes Moore and other Democrats in the Maryland congressional delegation have expressed support for the project.—
Mike Hellgren,
CBS News,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad was preparing for an electronic signing, to be followed by technical-level talks in the coming week.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
-
Because Simon’s already got this prepared.—
Carita Rizzo,
Deadline,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
The two sisters entered the restaurant, ran behind the counter and attacked the 23-year-old employee after they were given a wrong order, prosecutors said, according to the outlet.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
-
Iran, meanwhile, said the agreement included the immediate lifting of the US blockade.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Repetition is composed of a novelist’s remembrances of her teenage girlhood, a tumultuous time no matter what.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
At the Met Gala, Imah looked composed without appearing rehearsed into stiffness.—
Partner Content,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Another helpful practice is to articulate your purpose and values with clarity.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
10 Dec. 2025
-
Its new security strategy emphasizes the need for greater investment in critical mineral supply chains, but without articulating a vision for how those minerals should be used.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
To that end, Seattle drafted Notre Dame’s Jadarian Price in the first round.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Once all negotiation clusters are completed, the European Commission drafts an accession treaty outlining the terms of membership.—
Tiago Ventura,
Time,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Down by 29 at one point, the Knicks stormed all the way back, putting Madison Square Garden into a frenzy.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
-
Trump aides now accuse the bipartisan group of resisting the rightful role of the commander in chief to put his own mark on the celebrations.—
Michael Scherer,
The Atlantic,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
After her grandmother died, the family found letters Smith had written home during the war.—
Nick Lunemann,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
Newsom doesn’t collect any real revenue from his podcast, but did report collecting more than $100,000 in publication fee and royalties last year for books he’s written.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Formulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formulate. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
