as in imitative
using or marked by the use of something else as a basis or model
she thought the plots of most action movies were pretty formulaic
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Recent Examples of formulaic
But designer Maya Williams tells me the days of the formulaic kitchen are over.
—
Amanda Lauren, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Here, hotels can’t just scrape by with formulaic concepts.
—Su-Jit Lin, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
The first charts to reflect this formulaic change will be on January 16, once YouTube has stopped sending its data.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
The ultra-cinematic heroics feel too large and dazzling for the material, the classic movie tropes too formulaic, and the illuminating effect of all of it is more mechanical than organic.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for formulaic
Amanda Lauren, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Here, hotels can’t just scrape by with formulaic concepts.
—Su-Jit Lin, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
The first charts to reflect this formulaic change will be on January 16, once YouTube has stopped sending its data.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2025
The ultra-cinematic heroics feel too large and dazzling for the material, the classic movie tropes too formulaic, and the illuminating effect of all of it is more mechanical than organic.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for formulaic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formulaic
Adjective
-
Since then, whenever new tools to crank out communications have become available, somebody has flooded the zone with the fastest, most imitative material that could garner attention.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
8 Nov. 2025
-
It may be borrowed or coined, named after a person, inspired by a place or imitative of a sound.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This makes your home feel intentional and personal instead of sterile and unoriginal.—
Ashlyn Needham,
The Spruce,
8 Jan. 2026
-
This seems a rather unoriginal name to be chosen by a woman whose talent lay with words.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Formulaic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formulaic. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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