as in colloquial
used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing
use of the nonformal "Dad" would be a little jarring in a prayer to our Heavenly Father
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 nonformal
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, more than 272,000 children in Ukraine have benefitted from learning interventions with supplies provided by UNICEF, and over 400,000 children have engaged in formal or nonformal education.
—
Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022
But even Cunard has nonformal settings where dressed-down can go, including the buffet, casino and pub.
—Hannah Sampson, Houston Chronicle, 20 Dec. 2019
Tostan’s core is a broad nonformal education program offered to villagers in a number of African countries.
—Amy Yee, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 July 2017
Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022
But even Cunard has nonformal settings where dressed-down can go, including the buffet, casino and pub.
—Hannah Sampson, Houston Chronicle, 20 Dec. 2019
Tostan’s core is a broad nonformal education program offered to villagers in a number of African countries.
—Amy Yee, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nonformal
Adjective
-
The colloquial term Paczki Day is used for Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.—
Jelissa Burns,
Freep.com,
6 Jan. 2026
-
In this context, something as small and lightweight as a pair of earrings could serve as the colloquial glue that united people under one national identity, at a moment in history when destabilization and separation were the modi operandi of a country sharing a border with Ukraine.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Double islands have been used to add valuable workspace and storage in open kitchens, as well as to accommodate activities such as informal dining.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF) has scouts in different countries monitoring players who are eligible for them from a young age, but Nigeria’s approach is more informal.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The Upside Down, a dark, gooey parallel universe of Hawkins, and its predatory demogorgons became part of their middle school vernacular.—
Lorraine Ali,
Boston Herald,
30 Nov. 2025
-
In vernacular languages up to the early modern period in Europe, cognates of conversatio often conveyed a sense of physical closeness: gathering or dwelling together.—
Lamorna Ash,
The Dial,
25 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nonformal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nonformal. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share