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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.
Examples of formality in a Sentence
David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
Those princely beanies and headbands, meanwhile, represent his satirical take on power and formality.
—Tianwei Zhang, WWD, 24 Feb. 2025
Her new Hollywood Park cafe ditches that formality for grab-and-go convenience centered around the food her partner Jin Chen has at every meal: rice.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2025
Barcelona’s view, though, is that Martinez’s contract extension is just a formality and that this latest difficulty is not endangering his future at the club.
—Pol Ballús, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Formality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formality. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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formality
noun
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