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 That informal tally fell about 46,000 votes short of the official count, prompting accusations of fraud. — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 Often occurring during informal downtime, these conversations promote psychological detachment, leading to creative problem-solving and a broader perspective on work challenges, ultimately enhancing well-being and resilience. — Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 In Anxi County, by contrast, local operators with fewer economic opportunities but access to informal financial channels set up a sprawling telecom-fraud network that eventually expanded into Southeast Asia. — Alvin Camba, Foreign Affairs, 21 Aug. 2026 After school hours, makeshift football pitches appear suddenly on dusty patches of land while small clearings and undeveloped plots become informal playgrounds. — Ryan Lenora Brown, Christian Science Monitor, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for informal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for informal

Adjective

Middlemarch George Eliot’s unconventional Victorian novel upends expectations while crafting a complex portrait of family and individual life in fictional Middlemarch, North Loamshire.

— Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
In it, Leó, a renowned geriatrician specialized in Alzheimer’s disease, develops an unconventional friendship with Ásdís, a psychiatrist who’s returned to Iceland to care for her ailing grandmother.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of unconventional

Adjective

Today, Adidas Originals Japan sneakers are seen as a lifestyle shoe, worn for casual situations like running errands or grabbing a cup of coffee.

— Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2026
Some additional family members (also from out of town) came for a casual cookout and brought friends of theirs — informing, not asking, the other family members (not the hosts) only one day in advance.

— Judith Martin, Mercury News, 22 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

Screenplay credits are shared by Damodaran, Joses Imona, and Jennifer Litau, with Litau also handling Tok Pisin and vernacular-language translation duties.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026
Compiled in 1964 by Elektra Records founder Jac Holzman, this four-LP, 83-track box set was intended as an accessible survey of the roots and branches of American vernacular music.

— Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026