1
as in saying
to convey in appropriate or telling terms
the doctor was trying to formulate a good way to tell her that she would need surgery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in preparing
to put (something) into proper and usually carefully worked out written form
a writer planning to formulate a response to what he considered a very unfair review of his work
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 formulating
Brands like Children of Earth are improving neurocosmetics, formulating products based on ingredients affecting skin stress pathways and sensory experience.
—
Pooja Mistry,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Princeton’s Venkatesh says that the long human process of formulating and understanding a proof may be hard to justify, not just to funders, but even to mathematicians themselves.
—
Benjamin Skuse,
IEEE Spectrum,
25 June 2026
Dunbar is best known for formulating Dunbar’s number, the theory that humans can maintain only about 150 social connections at once.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Ford, in his first interview about the film, is still formulating his thoughts on it.
—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Brian Dutcher and his staff work hard during the basketball season, planning practices, formulating game plans, watching film, meeting with players, visiting with high school recruits, speaking with the media, talking to administrators, attending donor events, raising money, getting on planes.
—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Fortunately, more and more brands are now formulating deodorants without common allergens and irritants.
—
Bestreviews,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Scripted by Grace Glowicki and Ben Petrie (partners in life and in filmmaking), these words of seduction are music to the ears of a lonely Gravedigger (Glowicki), who has been formulating a perfume to cover up her corpse-like stench.
—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Being vocally left-leaning thus provides social status benefits and forms of self-congratulation that being conservative doesn't (if anything, in terms of the broader culture and the opinion-formulating institutions, conservatism tends to be rather lonely and something of a social liability).
—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
Pooja Mistry,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Princeton’s Venkatesh says that the long human process of formulating and understanding a proof may be hard to justify, not just to funders, but even to mathematicians themselves.
—
Benjamin Skuse,
IEEE Spectrum,
25 June 2026
Dunbar is best known for formulating Dunbar’s number, the theory that humans can maintain only about 150 social connections at once.
—
Hanna Wickes,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Ford, in his first interview about the film, is still formulating his thoughts on it.
—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Brian Dutcher and his staff work hard during the basketball season, planning practices, formulating game plans, watching film, meeting with players, visiting with high school recruits, speaking with the media, talking to administrators, attending donor events, raising money, getting on planes.
—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Fortunately, more and more brands are now formulating deodorants without common allergens and irritants.
—
Bestreviews,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Scripted by Grace Glowicki and Ben Petrie (partners in life and in filmmaking), these words of seduction are music to the ears of a lonely Gravedigger (Glowicki), who has been formulating a perfume to cover up her corpse-like stench.
—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Being vocally left-leaning thus provides social status benefits and forms of self-congratulation that being conservative doesn't (if anything, in terms of the broader culture and the opinion-formulating institutions, conservatism tends to be rather lonely and something of a social liability).
—
Bradley Gitz,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formulating
Verb
-
Alicent mistakenly believed Viserys was talking about their son Aegon II, saying Aegon II should be on the throne after Viserys dies, which lead to the Dance of the Dragons civil war.
-
In days past, saying that communism was a mistake would have earned the artist a one-way ticket to Siberia.
Verb
-
On the 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum, Britain is preparing for its seventh prime minister in a decade.
-
Latvian intelligence is warning that Russia is preparing possible provocations against the Baltic states or Poland, including drones or any other hybrid attacks, in an effort to pressure NATO countries to stop supporting Ukraine.
Verb
-
The daycare later released a statement expressing condolences and pledging support for the family.
-
But last month, Emma Reynolds, the environment secretary, wrote to Ofwat expressing concerns over the rescue package.
Verb
-
Additionally, last year’s Oscar winner for Best Original Score, Ludwig Göransson, will be composing The Odyssey.
-
In a nod to the maestro for which the dish is named, Bottura says that pairing with Sauternes is like composing music.
Verb
-
Na drew a parallel to his earlier work while articulating the film’s underlying concern.
-
But Musk does understand the value of being out there, articulating a vision and taking risks that earn him friends and foes.
Verb
-
The Religious Liberty Commission was tasked with drafting a report on the history and state of religious liberty in the nation by July 4, 2026, when it was established in 2025.
-
Demonstrations focus on interface design, workflow enhancements, drafting speed, research capabilities, and productivity gains.
Verb
-
Pete Crow-Armstrong and Bregman both tagged and advanced on the sequence, putting runners on second and third for Suzuki.
-
Gakpo's teammates came onto the filed to support him and formed a circle around him, putting their arms around each other as the crowd cheered, as shown in another video shared by Fox Sports.
Verb
-
Towns County Sheriff's Office A day after creating the committee, Kemp filed the second executive order, stating that the officials recommended Henderson be suspended.
-
Handle power dynamics well by stating needs and listening for fears beneath reactions.
Cite this Entry
“Formulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formulating. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
