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 However, conventional anaerobic digestion remains relatively inefficient, with the process typically converting less than 40% of the sludge's carbon into usable gas. New Atlas, 9 May 2026 But what happened on April 21 was ominous and bizarre, not conventional. U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2026 The researchers said the setup avoids the wiring complexity found in conventional miniature sensors. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 May 2026 The result is a more thoroughly militarized system, but not a military junta in any conventional sense. Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 9 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for conventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conventional
Adjective
  • The irony is that Ashby was the stand-in for France’s usual wing trimmer, the British sailor Leigh McMillan, who is still recovering from an injury at the Auckland SailGP event in February.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 11 May 2026
  • But Brunson, as usual, was sublime, wrong-footing the 76ers over and over with his staccato moves and magnetized shots.
    Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 May 2026
Adjective
  • Bedside lanterns, traditional tea pots above the minibar, and authentic decorative pottery fill the room.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 May 2026
  • But Hadler does not believe that fibromyalgia should be classified as a disease in the traditional biomedical sense, because medicine has yet to identify a discrete, demonstrable pathophysiological process underlying it.
    Jason Liebowitz, The Atlantic, 12 May 2026
Adjective
  • This ritual, known as 'Sukye-sik,' is a formal ceremony where followers vow to live according to Buddhist teachings.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 May 2026
  • For years, conservative politicians and commentators have portrayed it as a coordinated extremist threat, though law enforcement assessments have generally described it as decentralized and lacking formal leadership.
    Nik Popli, Time, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago’s past.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2026
  • Today, Sodebo’s current time is almost half that, yet there is more to be shaved off the record, which might even come down to as little as 30 days.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • As the players headed to their benches and the officials took their customary walks to the scorer’s table for the time out, Atkinson scrunched his face, stuck out his hands, and mockingly clapped toward Blair — who ignored the obvious taunt.
    Joe Vardon, New York Times, 11 May 2026
  • The transaction is expected to close by the end of May subject to customary closing conditions.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 May 2026
Adjective
  • The former catcher was one of the six coaches fired last month following the team’s 10-17 start, so when the six Red Sox legends threw out their ceremonial first pitch, Martinez threw to current catcher Connor Wong instead of his former teammate.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026
  • For Jimeno — who has spent years sharing his story through speaking engagements and books — the visit was more than ceremonial.
    Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.
    Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The documentary traces Hier’s path from an orthodox Jewish enclave to international prominence as the founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center and Museum of Tolerance.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
  • In the nineteen-seventies, Franciscan University, a small school on a hill above the downtown, became a center for charismatic Catholicism, an expressive, theologically orthodox movement that paralleled the development of the evangelical Jesus People and secular hippie culture.
    Emma Green, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Conventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conventional. Accessed 13 May. 2026.

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