1
as in unconventional
not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules
an informal meeting allowed everyone to get acquainted
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in casual
not designed to be worn only on special occasions
chose an informal flowery dress
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
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Recent Examples of informal
Behind them, a small crowd waved Jordanian flags and clapped their hands to the beat in an informal procession where onlookers cheered and filmed on their cellphones.
—
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
21 June 2026
The kitchen, with room for a table that can handle informal dining, is open to the family room, where the visual focal points are the stone fireplace and French doors that lead to an elevated deck overlooking the in-ground pool and property at the rear of the home.
—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
Rumors spread through informal networks, sometimes inadvertently from slaveholders themselves, says Holzer, who directs the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College in New York.
—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
19 June 2026
Kennedy says for the most part, her contact with the company has been informal.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for informal
Luis Melecio-Zambrano,
Mercury News,
21 June 2026
The kitchen, with room for a table that can handle informal dining, is open to the family room, where the visual focal points are the stone fireplace and French doors that lead to an elevated deck overlooking the in-ground pool and property at the rear of the home.
—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
Rumors spread through informal networks, sometimes inadvertently from slaveholders themselves, says Holzer, who directs the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College in New York.
—
Scott Neuman,
NPR,
19 June 2026
Kennedy says for the most part, her contact with the company has been informal.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for informal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for informal
Adjective
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Most unconventional of all was their repertoire.
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Often considered one of the worst films of all time, the movie has become a cult favorite thanks to its bizarre storytelling and unconventional filmmaking style.
Adjective
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Families, longtime soccer fans and casual viewers mixed on the concourse, creating a festival atmosphere with chants, flags and interactive soccer activities on the field.
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That wistful undertow stems from Zimmerman’s casual acceptance of his advancing age.
Adjective
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Its name refers to the colloquial term once used for Papaya—paw-paw.
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The Solons name refers to an ancient Greek lawmaker, whose name later became a colloquial term for wise legislators, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
Adjective
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His Bernstein had visceral, vernacular punch; his Verdi was ardent and spry; his Britten had the right textural grit; his Mozart unfurled with complicated grace.
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That’s for sure when people speak patois, a vernacular version of English that’s based on a culture’s intonation.
Cite this Entry
“Informal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/informal. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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