formally
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
in an official way, often involving a public statement or a signed document.
in accordance with official procedure or legal requirements.
Simple“The company formally announced the merger in a press release this morning.”
In context“The treaty was formally ratified by the parliament after months of intense diplomatic negotiation.”
UsageOften used with verbs of communication like 'announce', 'invite', or 'propose'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
behaving or dressing in a serious, traditional way for a special event.
in a manner that adheres to conventional social etiquette or traditional dress codes.
Simple“The guests were asked to dress formally for the wedding dinner.”
In context“He greeted the visiting dignitaries formally, ensuring that every protocol of the state visit was strictly observed.”
SynonymsceremoniouslyproperlyAntonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
following a strict set of rules or a specific logical pattern.
in accordance with rigorous rules of logic, mathematics, or structural composition.
Simple“The theory has not yet been formally proven by other scientists.”
In context“The linguist attempted to formally define the syntax of the dialect using a set of generative rules.”
UsageCommon in academic writing when discussing proofs, definitions, or systems.
Synonyms
Usage formally identified · formally define · formally establish
“Police said that while the body was yet to be formally identified, it was believed to be that of 18-year-old Lily Hooper.”
“In 2024, about 1.4 million high school seniors took what’s now formally called the ACT.”
From formal + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.