formalism
noun
for·mal·ism
ˈfȯr-mə-ˌli-zəm 
1
: the practice or the doctrine of strict adherence to prescribed or external forms (as in religion or art)
also
: an instance of this
2
: marked attention to arrangement, style, or artistic means (as in art or literature) usually with corresponding de-emphasis of content
Examples of formalism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bourbaki’s formalism would dwarf even this, requiring some 4.5 trillion symbols just to define the number 1.
—
Michael Barany, JSTOR Daily, 24 Mar. 2021
But her dreamlike formalism has long resisted the influence of any collective credo, and the highly refined acting style that she’s come to elicit from her performers, often described as Bressonian in its avoidance of extraneous emotion, is one reason for that.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 27 June 2024
Using a mathematical formalism called computational mechanics, the researchers identified criteria for determining which systems have this kind of hierarchical structure.
—Quanta Magazine, 10 June 2024
Many did not get the joke, taking Bourbaki’s dense formalism too seriously and thereby missing the import of the intervention.
—Michael Barany, JSTOR Daily, 24 Mar. 2021
See all Example Sentences for formalism 
Michael Barany, JSTOR Daily, 24 Mar. 2021
But her dreamlike formalism has long resisted the influence of any collective credo, and the highly refined acting style that she’s come to elicit from her performers, often described as Bressonian in its avoidance of extraneous emotion, is one reason for that.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 27 June 2024
Using a mathematical formalism called computational mechanics, the researchers identified criteria for determining which systems have this kind of hierarchical structure.
—Quanta Magazine, 10 June 2024
Many did not get the joke, taking Bourbaki’s dense formalism too seriously and thereby missing the import of the intervention.
—Michael Barany, JSTOR Daily, 24 Mar. 2021
See all Example Sentences for formalism
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Dictionary Entries Near formalism
Cite this Entry
“Formalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formalism. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
formalism
noun
for·mal·ism
ˈfȯr-mə-ˌliz-əm
: the strict observance of forms or customs
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