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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 obvious solution—getting a proper job—is, for Jack, a non-starter: conventional work repulses him. Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 11 May 2025 The conventional thinking started to change in the 1960s when Harvey Karten, a young neuroanatomist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, mapped and compared brain circuits in mammals and pigeons, and later in owls, chickens, and other birds. Yasemin Saplakoglu, Wired News, 11 May 2025 Since then, there has been a dangerous progression: first to cross-border airstrikes into each other’s territories, and now to a conflict that spans conventional military, cyber and information spheres simultaneously. Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 10 May 2025 In one new academic paper, an AI model was able to predict whether a cancer patient is at risk of developing wasting disease better than conventional methods. Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conventional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conventional
Adjective
  • Jam-packed with his absurd self-aware humor, the finale deviates from the show’s usual slapstick raunch with a rare tender moment between Jesse and his equally crude siblings, Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam DeVine).
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 May 2025
  • Our usual supplier, China, has banned exports of REMs to the U.S.
    Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 3 May 2025
Adjective
  • To stay competitive as water stress deepens across traditional and emerging production regions, the industry must decouple manufacturing from water use.
    Ken Katz, Sourcing Journal, 5 May 2025
  • As trillions in private capital search for liquidity in a world where traditional exits no longer work, blockchain infrastructure is quietly becoming the system of last resort.
    Azeem Khan, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
Adjective
  • Brooks had heard of the band and after a formal event one evening came into the bar with his wife.
    Melinda Newman, Billboard, 8 May 2025
  • The Stray Kids’ member is not the first formal male ambassador for Damiani, which has a long track record of linking with male celebrities, most notably tapping Brad Pitt for its campaigns.
    Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • Premium economy updates Premium Plus seats on the 787-9s will feature privacy dividers and wireless charging, an update from the current premium economy configuration across United's fleet.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • Speak to employees to understand their needs, and ensure your current coverage isn't prohibitive to certain groups, like LGBTQ+ individuals or single parents.
    Cynthia McEwen, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • For close family and friends, between $50 and $100 is customary.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 29 Apr. 2025
  • The Eagles are scheduled to visit President Donald Trump at the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl victory from February, a customary practice for the winning teams, but one the team skipped during Trump's first term.
    Natasha Dye, People.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Nomo was asked to throw out a ceremonial first pitch.
    Evan Drellich, New York Times, 2 May 2025
  • These ceremonial fires represent the power of the sun and provide an opportunity for cleansing and renewal, according to the Beltane Fire Society.
    Greta Cross, USA Today, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • But there should be no such wall—even in the most orthodox capitalist system.
    Paul Laudicina, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Historian William Dalrymple traces the current sectarian divisions to the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb, who shattered the empire’s religious pluralism by trying to impose orthodox Islam on the populace.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That’s a pretty standard western-movie setup, but Souza’s script has a novelistic expansiveness that serves the film well, at least for a while.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 2 May 2025
  • It’s become fairly standard for development to take place in-state while other components of the work are increasingly sent elsewhere.
    Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conventional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conventional. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on conventional

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