How to Use formality in a Sentence
formality
noun- They haven't approved the loan yet, but that's just a mere formality.
- Her use of old-fashioned language lends an air of formality to her writing.
- He failed to appreciate the formality of the occasion.
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Of course, that was mostly a formality after the season that the Suns have had.
— Andy Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Apr. 2021 -
The vote must still be rubber-stamped by EU nations, but that's likely a formality.
— Lorne Cook, USA TODAY, 9 June 2021 -
The vote must still be rubber-stamped by EU nations, but that’s likely a formality.
— Lorne Cook, The Christian Science Monitor, 9 June 2021 -
As with the wedding day, the couple determines the level of formality.
— Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 14 May 2021 -
They were expected to be held for 10 days to watch for signs of rabies, a formality in such situations.
— Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 4 Sep. 2024 -
Some companies can have a seriousness about them, a stuffiness, a formality.
— Dallas News, 28 May 2021 -
After more than a year of cameo appearances by kids, spouses and pets, work meetings may be headed toward pre-pandemic formality.
— Chicago Tribune Staff, chicagotribune.com, 15 May 2021 -
The age stipulation is mostly a formality; the app does not stop those who are under 13 from making accounts with false birthdates.
— Kimi Robinson, The Arizona Republic, 19 May 2021 -
This is Bacon’s familiar hybrid of menace and suffering, expanded now by a mixture of shock and formality.
— Joan Acocella, The New Yorker, 17 May 2021 -
The resort is custom-made for unplugging and unwinding, and the dining options are tailored for those who wish to relish the experience without the constraints of formality.
— Nasha Smith, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 -
By the ninth, the lead had ballooned to 21-12 and the last three outs seemed a formality.
— Joe Freeman, oregonlive, 29 May 2022 -
By that point, the outcome of the game was a formality.
— James Boyd, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Mar. 2022 -
The vote is something of a formality given that the deal is on hold while the court case plays out.
— Marcy Gordon, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022 -
The top ski rentals from Aspen to the French Alps now shun formality.
— Tom Weijand, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2024 -
The requests lent an air of formality to a process condemned by the West.
— Eric Nagourney, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2022 -
The pumpkins create the homey, fall look, but a sleek glass dome adds a touch of class and formality.
— Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Oct. 2023 -
And there was a sort of formality about being the captain.
— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2023 -
But there was no way a night like this could end with mere formalities.
— David Wharton, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2024 -
At the start of the night, Game 5 of this opening-round playoff series against the Hawks seemed like a formality.
— Adam Himmelsbach, BostonGlobe.com, 26 Apr. 2023 -
By the final buzzer, those two things seemed like a mere formality.
— al, 25 Nov. 2022 -
Chen basked in the spotlight in the middle of the ice, then headed off to hear his scores, which by that point were a mere formality.
— Dave Skretta, chicagotribune.com, 10 Feb. 2022 -
In past years, that process has often been viewed as a formality.
— Liz Navratil, Star Tribune, 21 July 2021 -
McKinley has been on the job for several months, so the move was a mere formality.
— cleveland, 11 Nov. 2021 -
The handsome men still put plates in front of both of us, the formality, but Leigh Anne would listen to the description, nod, and then push it to me.
— Kevin Wilson, Bon Appétit, 9 Feb. 2022 -
The more likely scenario is that this is just a formality.
— Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 24 Apr. 2023 -
By then, a new career best seemed to be mere formality.
— Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Mar. 2022 -
To be finalized, the deal must now be signed by the judge overseeing the case, though that step is formality.
— Bill Donahue, Billboard, 2 May 2024
Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'formality.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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