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
Netflix executives have been speaking highly about the show in informal conversations for months, even more so after production on Season 1 wrapped in the fall.
—
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026
Also, in fragmented, informal markets, aggregation is power.
—Maurizio Caio, semafor.com, 2 Mar. 2026
For lunch Henrietta serves as an informal deli with a smattering of seasonal salads and sandwiches such as mushroom French dips and turkey with bread-and-butter-style fennel pickles.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
The average salary in Algeria is 42,800 dinars, the equivalent of approximately $330 according to the official exchange rate, and less than $235 on the informal market.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for informal
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2026
Also, in fragmented, informal markets, aggregation is power.
—Maurizio Caio, semafor.com, 2 Mar. 2026
For lunch Henrietta serves as an informal deli with a smattering of seasonal salads and sandwiches such as mushroom French dips and turkey with bread-and-butter-style fennel pickles.
—Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2026
The average salary in Algeria is 42,800 dinars, the equivalent of approximately $330 according to the official exchange rate, and less than $235 on the informal market.
—ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for informal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for informal
Adjective
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Whirlpool electric ranges pros Instead of a huge stable of super-fancy ranges with novel and unconventional features, much of Whirlpool’s range is somewhat straightforward.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
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With unconventional methods such as these, there is a chance of catching defenders cold before coaches and analysts adopt ways of dealing with it.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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All sorts of messages, formal or casual, are more meaningful during the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in your conversation zone.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Mar. 2026
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In a 2010 study, for example, the disparity held in both casual and familiar encounters, with ten per cent of women reaching orgasm versus thirty-one per cent of men in a first-time hookup, and sixty-eight per cent versus eighty-five per cent with a familiar partner.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The city of big apples, hand-tossed pizzas and the colloquial adverb deadass.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
27 Jan. 2026
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This time around, our Traitors and Faithfuls are a beautiful assortment of Housewives, Survivors, athletes, actors, and plenty of mothers — both literal (Donna Kelce) and in the colloquial sense (Porsha Williams).—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That was the beginning of it and the Coens have a deep knowledge of American vernacular music.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
27 Feb. 2026
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Viral videos are among the contemporary references—along with stripper vernacular, self-driving cars, and Juicy Couture—in Age of Content, a 2023 work by the collective (La)Horde, which comprises the artists Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, and Arthur Harel.—
Laura Regensdorf,
Vogue,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Informal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/informal. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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