Definition of conventionalnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word conventional distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of conventional are ceremonial, ceremonious, and formal. While all these words mean "marked by attention to or adhering strictly to prescribed forms," conventional implies accord with general custom and usage and may suggest a stodgy lack of originality or independence.

conventional courtesy
conventional fiction

How are the words ceremonial and ceremonious related as synonyms of conventional?

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

When is it sensible to use ceremonious instead of conventional?

In some situations, the words ceremonious and conventional are roughly equivalent. However, ceremonious applies to persons given to ceremony or to acts attended by ceremony.

made his ceremonious entrance

Where would formal be a reasonable alternative to conventional?

The synonyms formal and conventional are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 conventional The first electric air taxi services, Wegel believes, will be landing and taking off at airports with their conventional runways, not at vertiports. David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026 Its across-the-board native cloud infrastructure and NVMe storage give it an edge over many conventional hosting providers, although HostArmada imposes stricter limits on storage, database sizes, and monthly data transfers as a trade-off. Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 8 Mar. 2026 For example, conventional lawn service treatments typically carpet the entire lawn, even areas where weeds are not present. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2026 The Natrium reactor is a significant advance on conventional designs in both its concept and layout. David Szondy march 08, New Atlas, 8 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conventional
Adjective
  • China’s consumer-price growth accelerated to the quickest in over three years and factory deflation moderated again, after a rally in energy markets and as household spending boomed during a later-than-usual Lunar New Year holiday.
    Bloomberg News, Bloomberg, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Even with a chunk of its usual rotation out, the Heat’s depth was still on display.
    Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The elevator delivers you to the lobby, where hanging textiles in warm ocher tones serve as the signature art piece, dyed using dorozome, a traditional mud-dyeing technique, with soil from the building site itself.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The board denied renewal of Green Dot Locke High charter by a 4-3 vote, citing lower performance compared to traditional schools.
    Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Here was a piece that not only spanned the entire spectrum of casual to formal, but ate it up in the volume of its layered pleats.
    Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Hare adds that this strategy will help eliminate the distant feeling that can exist in larger spaces or within more formal layouts.
    Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Broadcom reported earnings and revenue beat, and issued a strong forecast for the current period, as the chipmaker rides the artificial intelligence boom.
    Nur Hikmah Md Ali, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2026
  • That’s wins in 10 straight road outings for the Hornets, who also own the NBA’s longest current longest overall win streak at six games — with all the triumphs coming by at least 16 points.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Another Arsenal goal kick and Raya, after a customary bit of stud cleaning, drills the ball long.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The film is faithful to the franchise’s customary angst, with riotous needle drops (and an obligatory new Nick Cave track) courtesy of Antony Genn and Martin Slattery.
    Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • After nearly an hour of speeches, teams of dignitaries donned red hard hats and filed outside on a cold and gray March afternoon, grabbing shovels for the ceremonial groundbreaking.
    Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
  • The nearly 3,000-member Congress, a largely ceremonial body that endorses policies set by Communist Party leaders, is due to approve the annual report and budget at its closing session next week, along with a five-year plan setting policy priorities until 2030.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Harvesting seed nearby is a way to get plants that are genetically adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions and are more likely to thrive.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
  • In the northern United States, enjoying the starry winter sky requires protection against the prevailing low temperatures.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • For him, Yuan porcelain represented a major cultural and technological breakthrough in Chinese art under Mongol rule, countering long-running, orthodox perceptions of the imperial dynasty.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Bishops and priests often challenged texts that did not conform with what became orthodox doctrine.
    Christy Cobb, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Conventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conventional. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.

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