formulaic

adjective

for·​mu·​la·​ic ˌfȯr-myə-ˈlā-ik 

1

: produced according to a formula or set of formulas : adhering to set forms or conventions

a formulaic response

a movie with a formulaic plot

… much of the will's language was formulaic, in accordance with Venetian customs.

—Laurence Bergreen

The film … uses simple, formulaic storytelling to spin the tale of Bella, a rescued pit bull who makes her way home after a two-year walkabout.

—Katie Walsh

2

: of or relating to a mathematical formula

Those projections prompted the department to evaluate the state tax withholding tables. In September, the department found the formulaic error that had apparently been there, undetected, for at least 15 years.

—Kathryn Palmer

formulaically

ˌfȯr-myə-ˈlā-ə-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

… his songs still stick formulaically to the surface of pop entertainments.

—David Sargent

The price of admission to local social functions is often expressed formulaically as 'Gentlemen $2, ladies a plate', meaning a plate of scones or the like.

—Robert Burchfield

Synonyms of formulaic

• imitative
• unoriginal
• imitation

Examples of formulaic in a Sentence

she thought the plots of most action movies were pretty formulaic

Recent Examples on the Web

Well, people have always written schlocky or formulaic books. —Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 10 June 2026

As such, they have been called formulaic. —Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 June 2026

The show's plot revolves around tropes that are intentionally comforting and formulaic—fake dating, jock meets girl next door, and opposites attract—and evidently, the styling follows suit. —Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 27 May 2026

Like the language in which it was given, the ritual was formulaic, even staid. —Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for formulaic

• altaic
• archaic
• deltaic
• hebraic
• mosaic
• oleic
• prosaic
• trochaic
• voltaic
• algebraic
• aramaic
• ptolemaic