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formally

adverb

Definition of formallynext
as in carefully

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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 formally In one of her first meetings, she was asked to look at the designs for a new truck cab and formally approve it. — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2026 This document is formally called a Consumer Confidence Report, and the EPA requires community water systems to publish one each year, typically by July 1. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026 While Triump hasn't formally commented on the revisions, the intentional placement speaks for itself. — New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2026 There is a concern that formally accepting their preferred description of ‘public figures’ could potentially be seized upon by Harry as supporting his argument over security. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 14 Sep. 2026 In an indication of the distrust of the administration’s reassurances, civil rights groups and the city of Denver last week filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to formally bar ICE from polling places. — Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026 In mid-August, officials in Greenland formally postponed the drilling. — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026 Such a move typically occurs when a defendant has reached, or is preparing to formally enter, a plea agreement with prosecutors. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026 The federal lawsuit is formally stayed until a state decision is reached. — Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formally
  1. carefully
  2. systematically
  3. orderly
  4. gingerly
  5. meticulously
  6. methodically
  7. deliberately
Adverb
  • Reddington also pushed back on one of the prosecution's central arguments that Lindsay Clancy carefully planned the killings by sending Patrick Clancy out on errands.
    — Lorraine Taylor , Bryan Llenas, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Officials tread carefully in regulating car caravans, which can overwhelm traffic and bring streets to a standstill.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of carefully
Adverb
  • Under appropriate oversight, ambient AI is not systematically unsafe.
    — Pat Williams, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Before fighting, a commander should systematically compare his circumstances with those of the enemy, assessing such factors as leadership, discipline, terrain, and military strength.
    — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of systematically
Adverb
  • The man worked as a hospital orderly, according to the AP.
    — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
  • Policymakers have moved to keep the selloff orderly.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of orderly
Adverb
  • Timber returned from an ongoing groin issue at the weekend against Sunderland, only to be followed by White walking off gingerly in back-to-back games.
    — Art de Roché, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Surrounded by ducks that seemed to want to steal the show, the elusive youngster hopped gingerly onto a rock, unfurled its wings, and exposed plumes of bluish-purple feathers that sparkled in the sun.
    — Mindy Schauer, Oc Register, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of gingerly
Adverb
  • Riding United is all about being open-minded, according to Vogel, who studies each course meticulously on foot to work out how many strides the pair should take between jumps.
    — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Spearheaded by the family’s patriarch, a civil engineer who spent five years meticulously guiding its development, it was envisioned as a place with soul, which is inspired by the family’s summers growing up on the island.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of meticulously
Adverb
  • The stock climbed methodically from the low $270s last fall, riding the rising 50-day the entire way with the 200-day providing the broader structural floor below.
    — Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Just as Grossman had to reconstruct the camp at Treblinka after attempts to erase it, so Littell methodically — at times forensically, through interviews with pathologists, survivors and grave diggers — recreates the killings in Bucha.
    — Nick Holdstock, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of methodically
Adverb
  • The constant contrast between pristine nature and industrial machinery is accompanied by a discordant synth-heavy score by composer Robert Nacken, that, at times, pushes the film along and, at others, deliberately drags against it.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Someone has to decide to deliberately create and nurture the relationships in a new market.
    — Wayne Elsey, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of deliberately

Browse Nearby Words

formalizing
formally
formals
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Cite this Entry

“Formally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formally. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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