formality

noun

for·​mal·​i·​ty fȯr-ˈma-lə-tē 

plural formalities

1

: compliance with formal or conventional rules : ceremony

2

: the quality or state of being formal

3

: an established form or procedure that is required or conventional

the interview was just a formality

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

• amenity
• attention
• civility
• courtesy
• gesture
• pleasantry
• politeness

Examples of formality in a Sentence

Her use of old-fashioned language lends an air of formality to her writing.

He failed to appreciate the formality of the occasion.

They haven't approved the loan yet, but that's just a mere formality.

Recent Examples on the Web

At the Paris Review, Lucy Schiller explores the strange formality of internet prose. —Constance Grady, Vox, 28 June 2024

The event is more of a formality for the GOAT, but who are the other gymnasts eyeing the 2024 Paris Games? —Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 27 June 2024

By treating formal wear as a mere formality, an auteur gets to bask in the soft edges of the spotlight, never seeming any more ostentatious than when in uniform on a film set. —Joshua Hunt, New York Times, 12 June 2024

The band transformed rock & roll into an art experiment, with Cale’s noisy electric viola flourishes and rejection of the genre’s verse-chorus-verse formality. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 12 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

formality

noun

for·​mal·​i·​ty fȯr-ˈmal-ət-ē 

plural formalities

1

: a going along with formal or customary rules : ceremony

2

: the quality or state of being formal

3

: an established form that is required or usual

the interview was just a formality