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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 In June, 12 people were killed in an informal settlement in a Johannesburg suburb. — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026 Harvin, who also lived in Washington Heights, had been accompanying Billini on her walks with Zeus for the two or three weeks before the killings as an informal bodyguard, according to friends and family. — Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026 On Friday and Saturday nights, live country and honky-tonk bands get couples two-stepping across the wooden dance floor, while most afternoons bring informal pickers’ circles where musicians gather for backyard jam sessions. — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2026 What’s more, the two women leading the informal balloting are from Latin America. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for informal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for informal

Adjective

The film, a touching adaptation of an 1852 Turgenev short story of the same name, features an unconventional cast directed by a seasoned documentarian.

— James Folta, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2026
That encounter launched an unconventional business partnership between Rovell and the NBA legend.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of unconventional

Adjective

For a more casual vibe, visit one of downtown’s newer additions, Alma Mexico Restaurant & Bar.

— Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
Several restaurants are also within walking distance of Bucuti & Tara, ranging from casual pizza spots to upscale sushi restaurants and steakhouses.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of casual

Adjective

The colloquial names are fun, but can be confusing, because there’s also a plant called brown-eyed Susan, which is different from the black-eyed Susan.

— Sheryl DeVore, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026
Silent sleep apnea is a colloquial term for the form of the condition that occurs without the loud, disruptive snoring most people associate with it.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of colloquial

Adjective

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
Undaunted, the couple embarked on a renovation, working with a local builder and an architect who understood the rustic vernacular architecture associated with Glacier National Park.

— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2026