INFORMAL Synonyms: 85 Similar and Opposite Words

informal

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈfȯr-məl

Definition of informal

as in unconventional

not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules an informal meeting allowed everyone to get acquainted

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in casual

not designed to be worn only on special occasions chose an informal flowery dress

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in colloquial

used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing the use of informal language in a scholarly article is really inappropriate

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 informal Low-value shipments that arrive as cargo will continue to be designated as entry type 11 filings, which represent general informal entry for merchandise valued at $2,500 or less. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026 In practice, the most durable empires have relied on informal collaboration with local elites, whereas brutally coercive ones tend to be short-lived. — Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026 Not surprisingly, Bassetti during his informal conversation discussed the benefits of scale in today’s international TV business. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026 However, this is a far cry from earlier times when lawmakers met regularly, participated in spirited and substantive policy discussions, enjoyed informal dinners and even carpooled back home during congressional breaks. — John T. Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for informal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for informal

Adjective

Fashion brands have been experimenting with livelier and more unconventional footwear designs in general lately, and that means interesting uses of color.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
While Aardvark hinted at Sakurai’s appetite for the unconventional, The Eric Andre Show pushed that instinct further, cementing an approach that continues to inform his work.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of unconventional

Adjective

New visa rules for Australia and Japan Australia has long been popular with backpackers and young people looking to see the world and pick up casual work.

— Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Maybe plan on spending more than $20 for a casual lunch in the year 2026.

— Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of casual

Adjective

That’s the colloquial name for the Salkin House, an 1,100-square-foot dwelling perched on a hillside lot, built for violist Jules Salkin in 1948 by John Lautner, the famed midcentury modern architect.

— Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
The theme uses a colloquial phrase almost like a mathematical function.

— Sam Corbin, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of colloquial

Adjective

For me, a poster, in a Native context, is something that communicates a message through typography, visual language or vernacular language, and is intended to be publicly shown or expressed.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
On the one hand, there’s a fascination with collective joy and the forms of vernacular invention that aspire to it; on the other, there’s an underlying melancholy that points to the inevitability of isolation, an epistemology of loneliness.

— Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026