formalistic

Definition of formalisticnext
See the Dictionary Definition 

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for formalistic
Adjective
  • Like all tasting menus, the Journey has its ritual flourishes, some of them twee (such as the servers presenting a basket of farm eggs and an arrangement of grains just before the courses featuring those ingredients) and others quite charming.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 10 May 2026
  • Here, up to 20 courses are prepared with ritual precision, from seafood treated with the ikejime (humane fish-slaughtering) method, to rice and wasabi sourced from long-standing Japanese suppliers.
    Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 10 May 2026
Adjective
  • Chang often worked with a near-ritualistic discipline, his systematic processes opening onto moments of wonder.
    Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 1 May 2026
  • After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space.
    Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 1 May 2026
Adjective
  • Reparations will support education, economic aid and mental health services, with programs specifically targeting women and girls who endured systematic persecution by extremists in Timbuktu.
    Molly Quell, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
  • China’s systematic and unrelenting rise China’s R&D spending milestone caps a series of achievements that have arrived in rapid succession.
    Caroline Wagner, The Conversation, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Vasavada, who has witnessed NASA’s methodical approach to searching for evidence of ancient water and past habitability on Mars, believes returning samples is the only way to complete this multidecade quest for answers.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Gamre’s audacious but methodical cocktails form the heart of the experience.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Formalistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formalistic. Accessed 11 May. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster