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
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
Jahan Marcu, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Within the next decade, the enchanting imagism of silent film would be supplanted by the talkie’s emphasis on dialogue and narrative realism, upending the format and studios that had made Keaton a star of the Old Hollywood system.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
Dave Smith, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
Barfield and Rivera gave students advice about their resume formatting, following up after interviews and networking.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for format
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Noun
Today, the market is dominated by ever-more concentrated and convenient formats, culminating in vapes that deliver nicotine with pharmaceutical precision.
—Jahan Marcu, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Within the next decade, the enchanting imagism of silent film would be supplanted by the talkie’s emphasis on dialogue and narrative realism, upending the format and studios that had made Keaton a star of the Old Hollywood system.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
Participants are asked to create their models in Excel and they’re also expected to follow industry norms for formatting the models, including for areas like margin sizes and italicizing percentages.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025
Barfield and Rivera gave students advice about their resume formatting, following up after interviews and networking.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for format
Cite this Entry
“Format.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/format. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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