What does “formal” mean?
- 1
adjectiveserious and following accepted rules, suitable for official occasions
Please use formal language in your cover letter.
- 2
adjectiveofficial, or done according to proper procedures
The company made a formal complaint to the regulator.
- 3
adjectiveabout education received at school or college
He had little formal education but read widely.
Formal at a glance
- Part of speech
- adjective
- CEFR level
- B1 (intermediate)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈfɔrməl/ · FOR-mul
How to use “formal” correctly
Don’t confuse “formally” (officially) with “formerly” (in the past). They sound similar.
Common phrases with “formal”
- formal education
- formal dress
- formal complaint
- formal language
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- official
- proper
- ceremonial
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- informal
- casual
Word family
- formality
- formally
- informal
“formal” is on these word lists
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