Thesaurus results for FORMALITIES

formalities

noun

plural of formality

as in courtesies

an act or utterance that is a customary show of good manners bowing to your guest is a formality you don't need to perform for me

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as in rituals

an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules churchgoers loved the formalities of a traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service

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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 formalities Once Palace had completed the formalities, the dressing room bell sounded — the same bell Arsenal heard pre-game to signal the start of the match now marked the campaign’s ultimate conclusion; the final bell on this special season. —

James McNicholas, New York Times, 25 May 2026 Helmed by Executive Chef Elly Wentworth (a one-to-watch having shimmied over from stalwart restaurant, the Angel in Dartmouth), Fowlescombe’s kitchen disregards old-world hotel dining with its stiff formalities, along with the frothy alchemy of the Michelin set. —

Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026 Inspired by the most recent decade of killings of unarmed Black men by police, the seven prints selected from Henry’s series draw upon the sculptural pathos and solemn formalities of Michelangelo’s Pietà di San Pietro. —

Horace D. Ballard, Artforum, 22 Apr. 2026 The soldier said he was struck by how little emphasis was placed on rigid formalities that had defined his previous unit — from strict dress codes to repetitive routines unrelated to combat. —

ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026 But in a time when formalities are an increasingly rare occurrence, and most beach resorts embrace flip-flops and athleisure—comfy, yes, but not polished or classy—the Gasparilla Inn’s insistence on dressing up is refreshingly civilized, if a bit old-fashioned. —

Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2026 This absence is not merely a matter of formalities. —

CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026 The leadership of both chambers will give speeches, and the formalities of opening day will march along in their usual pomp and circumstance. —

Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 14 Jan. 2026 For events with formalities, like speeches, cake-cutting, or a holiday toast, Hayes advises staying until those key moments are complete. —

Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for formalities

Noun

Small courtesies keep big efforts moving forward.

— Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2026
With both courtesies and catastrophes refusing to conform, the canton’s school board, publishers, and clergy were forced to produce multiple editions of primers, textbooks, and catechisms; sometimes five parallel print runs were needed for a population the size of a town.

— Simon Akam, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025