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 relationships, the informal term refers to spouses who remain together while reducing their emotional effort, communication or involvement in the relationship. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The outlet reported that more than 60 trees across the park — home to many historic cherry trees and sycamores — had been cut down over the past several weeks, citing an informal count. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 29 Aug. 2026 Local residents helped set up informal community meetings to discuss the data center at the public library, and opposition kept building. — Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026 Chilean prosecutors accuse him of helping plan and carry out the killing and running the informal settlement where Ojeda’s body was buried. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for informal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for informal

Adjective

Munetaka Murakami made the quick decision to step on the bag and then throw to the plate, where catcher Drew Romo tagged out Trevor Larnach for an unconventional inning-ending double play.

— LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
All the drama from last week’s showdown with the season-21 designers is resolved by season 22 winning the unconventional-materials challenge.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of unconventional

Adjective

The Clubhouse Restaurant provides a more casual option, serving familiar comfort food alongside some of the most spectacular views in Europe.

— Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Keep it casual and stylish by pairing your maxi skirt and white tee with your comfy walking shoes for daytime sightseeing without totally sticking out like a tourist.

— Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of casual

Adjective

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
Wilson’s translation has come under fire for her decision to render Homeric Greek into a direct, colloquial English.

— Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 22 July 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