Did you know?
Formal behavior follows the proper forms or customs, and informal behavior feels free to ignore them. The formality of a dinner party is indicated by such formalities as invitations, required dress, and full table settings. Legal formalities, or technicalities, may turn out to be all-important even if they often seem minor. America requires fewer formalities than many other countries (in Germany, for example, you may know someone for years before using his or her first name), but even in relaxed situations Americans may be observing invisible formalities.
Synonyms
Examples of formality in a Sentence
Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
Hospitality comes first and foremost without the formalities of fine dining.
—Susan Stapleton, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2025
Given that many good writers – lawyers, academics and journalists among them – avoid personal pronouns as a matter of style, the justices’ new direction shows a surprising lack of formality.
—Jill Barton, The Conversation, 24 Jan. 2025
President-elect Trump's highly unusual intervention in the Supreme Court's TikTok case reads almost like a guy asking for a favor from an institution that still runs on formality.
—Sam Baker, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for formality 
Dictionary Entries Near formality
Cite this Entry
“Formality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formality. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
formality
noun
Share