formally

adverb

Definition of formallynext
as in carefully

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of formally The White House has formally sent Congress proposed legislation that would impose mandatory minimum sentences on those convicted of fraud involving federal benefit programs, according to a copy of it seen by Semafor. — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Not everyone is convinced Dyson has been careful to say the CameraJet has not been formally recalled. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026 Dyson has maintained CameraJet was not formally recalled, but water reaching a battery compartment is the kind of defect that attracts scrutiny from consumer-safety agencies. — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026 After only three weeks and $5,800 in deposits on the app, Pearson was formally accepted into DraftKings’ VIP program, which assigned him a personal concierge. — ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2026 Some wealthy countries, including Norway and Kuwait, have imposed strict rules to formally ban sale to teens. — Kent Sepkowitz, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026 The Supreme Court formally gaveled in a new term today, with justices considering whether Big Oil should be on the hook for costs associated with climate change. — Yasmin Vossoughian, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026 Suddenly Hammer sat within a framework of entities — formally announced as John Gore Studios in early 2025 — that could give its dusty reels a makeover and get them out into the open. — Alex Ritman, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026 The Marine Corps’ 12th Marine Littoral Regiment formally received both systems in June. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formally
  1. carefully
  2. systematically
  3. orderly
  4. gingerly
  5. meticulously
  6. methodically
  7. deliberately
Adverb
  • People with eating disorders may exhibit compulsive behaviors around both exercise and eating, including working out for multiple hours every day and carefully calculating every aspect of their diet.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Some of these spaces were inhabited by horses or llamas, but many were just sown with Kentucky blue grass that was carefully cut every weekend.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of carefully
Adverb
  • Palestinians have been systematically dehumanized, along with the broader Arab and Muslim world, to serve the foreign policy objectives of governments without questioning the moral and legal implications.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The Premier League announced Tuesday that its most successful club over the past 15 seasons, and current standings leader, systematically broke financial monitoring rules for years.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of systematically
Adverb
  • The man worked as a hospital orderly, according to the AP.
    — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
  • Policymakers have moved to keep the selloff orderly.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Definition of orderly
Adverb
  • In the fourth quarter, left tackle Rashawn Slater lay for several moments on the turf and was examined by medical staff before rising to his feet and walking gingerly to the sideline with an ankle injury.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Mariota walked gingerly to the sideline, and Drew Stevens kicked a field goal for a 6-0 lead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of gingerly
Adverb
  • Much of the Red Barn’s irreplaceable art and ephemera, meticulously and lovingly curated over the years, was lost — but the music series, powered by the fireproof resiliency of those who oversee the collective, barely skipped a beat.
    — Aaron Davis, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • And his film, at once proudly unlikable and meticulously realized, is both a daring display of craft and a rude sign of life—which is to say, the opposite of depressing.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of meticulously
Adverb
  • And then the game starts, the nerves dissipate, and the opponent is methodically slayed.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • True North methodically marched through Norland’s defense on its opening possession before Katz decided to attack deep.
    — D’Joumbarey Moreau, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of methodically
Adverb
  • The paper, led by a researcher named Evan Hubinger, described an experiment in which Anthropic’s team had deliberately trained AI models to behave deceptively.
    — Kevin Roose, Vanity Fair, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Some are very hands on, others deliberately removed from almost all day-to-day decisions.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of deliberately

Browse Nearby Words

formalizing
formally
formals
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Cite this Entry

“Formally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formally. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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