Synonyms and Antonyms of formal
1
following or agreeing with established form, custom, or rules
- a formal meeting of the board of directors
- a formal contract that was legally binding
authorized, certified, official, sanctioned
accepted, correct, decorous, genteel, nice, polite, proper, respectable, seemly
formalistic, ritual, ritualistic
methodical (also methodic), orderly, systematic
unauthorized, unofficial
graceless, improper, inappropriate, incorrect, indecorous, inept, infelicitous, unapt, unbecoming, unfit, unhappy, unseemly, unsuitable
2
being something in name or form only
- was the formal head of the charitable organization though he never attended a single meeting
3
marked by or showing careful attention to set forms and details
- gave her a formal invitation to dinner
4
relating to or suitable for wearing to an event requiring elegant dress and manners
- the dress code is formal for tonight's event
- a shop that rents out formal wear
costume, costumey
chic, dapper, fashionable, in, modish, natty, sharp, smart, snappy, stylish
custom-made, fitted, tailored
black-tie, evening, white-tie
semiformal
street
dowdy, outmoded, styleless, unfashionable, unstylish
frowsy (or frowzy), grungy, sloppy, sloven, slovenly, unkempt, untidy
disheveled (or dishevelled), messy, mussy, rumpled, wrinkled
5
very dignified in form, tone, or style
- the formal language of the coronation ceremony
