Synonym Chooser

How is the word ceremonious distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of ceremonious are ceremonial, conventional, and formal. While all these words mean "marked by attention to or adhering strictly to prescribed forms," ceremonious applies to persons given to ceremony or to acts attended by ceremony.

made his ceremonious entrance

How do ceremonial and ceremonious relate to one another?

Ceremonial and ceremonious both imply strict attention to what is prescribed by custom or by ritual, but ceremonial applies to things that are associated with ceremonies.

a ceremonial offering

Where would conventional be a reasonable alternative to ceremonious?

The words conventional and ceremonious can be used in similar contexts, but conventional implies accord with general custom and usage and may suggest a stodgy lack of originality or independence.

conventional courtesy
conventional fiction

When could formal be used to replace ceremonious?

Although the words formal and ceremonious have much in common, formal applies both to things prescribed by and to persons obedient to custom and may suggest stiff, restrained, or old-fashioned behavior.

a formal report
the headmaster's formal manner

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 ceremonious The ceremony sets the stage for each day’s contests and activities which include a ceremonious entrance led by a Native American veteran color guard, visiting dignitaries and tribal royalty, followed by dancers of all ages. Staff Reports, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025 Roberts began the process while Melania was still finalizing her position, which may have disrupted the ceremonious act. Lizzie Hyman, People.com, 20 Jan. 2025 The vice president’s role in officiating the Electoral College count before Congress — the final step in the election process before a president takes the White House — was known for many cycles as one that was mostly uneventful and largely ceremonious. Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 6 Jan. 2025 The chief and Kayce seal the deal with a ceremonious blood pact. Lynette Rice, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for ceremonious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ceremonious
Adjective
  • The law also limited the deployment of armed forces to 60 days, with a 30-day withdrawal period, in the absence of a formal declaration of war.
    Bart Jansen, USA Today, 25 June 2025
  • For example, according to The Australian, firms with formal mentorship programs see 23% higher retention among women.
    Raquel Gomes, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • In Virginia, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held for rebuilding the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, one of the nation's oldest Black churches.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 20 June 2025
  • Based on the blade decorations, sheath shape and burial location on Okinoshima, researchers concluded the 1,300-year-old artifact was made to be a ritual offering or to have a ceremonial purpose, not to be a functional weapon.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • More decorous versions simply excluded Jews, Blacks, and others to create those ethnic enclaves Vance decries in the form of elite institutions from country clubs to, formerly, Congress and the courts.
    Rebecca Solnit August 23, Literary Hub, 23 Aug. 2024
  • Instead, they are selected and rearranged to form a narrative of gradual debasement: a semantic descent from the decorous to the vulgar, often ending with crude references to the body.
    Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • Nevertheless, nice to get an explanation for why Vondrousova has been invisible.
    James Hansen, New York Times, 21 June 2025
  • Many of these gardens are free or cheap to visit, giving you another option to go somewhere and get outside when the weather is nice while saving some money.
    Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • In the procedural drama, Rodríguez brings to life a multi-layered and solemn character shaped by a traumatic childhood — abused within the foster care system, with no knowledge of his origins, and struggling with severe dyslexia.
    Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • This protection -- known as the seal of confession -- is among the oldest and most solemn obligations in the Catholic Church, grounded in the Church’s teaching that, in the sacrament, penitents are confidentially confessing to and receiving forgiveness from God.
    Hiram Sasser, National Review, 15 June 2025
Adjective
  • The potential disasters of treating art like traditional investments far outweigh the cost of proper planning.
    Matthew F. Erskine, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Eggs themselves are not a source of collagen—but the egg white specifically contains proline and glycine, two essential amino acids for proper collagen production.
    Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ceremonious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ceremonious. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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