formal

a social gathering for dancing he asked her to the formal at the end of the year Synonyms of formal ball, cotillion (also cotillon), dance, hop, promWords Related to formal blowout, celebration, event, festival, festivity, fete (or fête), gala, masque (also mask), masquerade, mixer, party, reception, shindig, soiree (or soirée); hoedown, square dance

1 following or agreeing with established form, custom, or rules a formal meeting of the board of directors a formal contract that was legally binding Synonyms of formal ceremonial, ceremonious, conventional, orthodox, regular, routine Words Related to formal authorized, certified, official, sanctioned; accepted, correct, decorous, genteel, nice, polite, proper, respectable, seemly; formalistic, ritual, ritualistic; methodical (also methodic), orderly, systematic Near Antonyms of formal unauthorized, unofficial; graceless, improper, inappropriate, incorrect, indecorous, inept, infelicitous, unapt, unbecoming, unfit, unhappy, unseemly, unsuitable Antonyms of formal casual, freewheeling, informal, irregular, unceremonious, unconventional, unorthodox

2 being something in name or form only was the formal head of the charitable organization though he never attended a single meeting Synonyms of formal nominal, paper, titularWords Related to formal so-called; phantom, virtual; apparent, assumed, evident, ostensible, presumed, seeming, supposedNear Antonyms of formal actual, real, true

3 marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details gave her a formal invitation to dinner Synonyms of formal correct, decorous, ceremonious, nice, proper, punctilious, starchy, stiff, stiff-necked, stiltedWords Related to formal sober, solemn, stately; chivalrous, courtly, gallant; genteel, polished, refined; civil, courteous, polite, red-carpetNear Antonyms of formal improper, indecorous, unmannerly; discourteous, impolite, rudeAntonyms of formal casual, easygoing, informal, laid-back, unceremonious

4 relating to or suitable for wearing to an event requiring elegant dress and manners the dress code is formal for tonight's event a shop that rents out formal wear Synonyms of formal dressy, dressWords Related to formal costume, costumey; chic, dapper, fashionable, in, modish, natty, sharp, smart, snappy, stylish; custom-made, fitted, tailored; black-tie, evening, white-tie; semiformalNear Antonyms of formal street; dowdy, outmoded, styleless, unfashionable, unstylish; frowsy (or frowzy), grungy, sloppy, sloven, slovenly, unkempt, untidy; disheveled (or dishevelled), messy, mussy, rumpled, wrinkledAntonyms of formal casual, informal, sportif, sporty

5 very dignified in form, tone, or style the formal language of the coronation ceremony Synonyms of formal eloquent, elevated, high-flown, lofty, majestic, stately, toweringWords Related to formal affected, bombastic, declamatory, florid, flowery, grandiloquent, grandiose, highfalutin (also hifalutin), oratorical, pompous, pretentious, rhetorical (also rhetoric), stilted; Attic, cultured, refined; classy, courtly, fine, graceful, tasteful; aristocratic, genteel, patrician; correct, educated, grammatical, proper; academic (also academical), bookish, learned, literaryNear Antonyms of formal casual, colloquial, conversational, informal, nonformal, slangy, unbookish, unliterary, vernacular; coarse, common, crass, crude, gross, ill-bred, indecent, lowbred, lowbrow, rough, rough-hewn, rude, tasteless, uncouth, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar; incorrect, substandard, uneducated, ungrammatical, unlearnedAntonyms of formal ineloquent, low, undignified