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

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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

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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 The plan to distribute household credits came from informal meetings that Digital Realty had with De Soto’s mayor, city administrator and city attorney, a city spokesperson confirmed. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026 The coalition expects CalRecycle to hold informal workshops through spring 2027 and begin formal rulemaking around the middle of that year. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026 Leaders must replace informal chatting with a clear communication system. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 15 Oct. 2026 The bottom line is that El Niño is a naturally occurring phenomenon that takes place about every three to seven years, with a minority of these events becoming strong enough to earn the informal designation of a super El Niño. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for informal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for informal

Adjective

Fashion brands have been experimenting with livelier and more unconventional footwear designs in general lately, and that means interesting uses of color.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 21 Oct. 2026
While Aardvark hinted at Sakurai’s appetite for the unconventional, The Eric Andre Show pushed that instinct further, cementing an approach that continues to inform his work.

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of unconventional

Adjective

The casual setup and price points at Tiger’s Den swing the sushi pendulum away from ultra luxury and back toward its origins in Japan as a quick, working-class meal.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
The trick is to break up the jacket-and-skirt combo and pair each with more casual pieces that take the edge off its classic finish.

— Tatiana Ojea, Glamour, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of casual

Adjective

That’s the colloquial name for the Salkin House, an 1,100-square-foot dwelling perched on a hillside lot, built for violist Jules Salkin in 1948 by John Lautner, the famed midcentury modern architect.

— Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026
The theme uses a colloquial phrase almost like a mathematical function.

— Sam Corbin, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of colloquial

Adjective

For me, a poster, in a Native context, is something that communicates a message through typography, visual language or vernacular language, and is intended to be publicly shown or expressed.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
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