- to be or make formal
- (transitive) to make official or valid
- (transitive) to give a definite shape or form to
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
for•mal•ize /ˈfɔrməˌlaɪz/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -ized, -iz•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to make formal:formalized their spoken agreement with a legal contract.
for•mal•ize
(fôr′mə līz′),USA pronunciation v.t., -ized, -iz•ing.
for′mal•i•za′tion, n.
for′mal•iz′er, n.
- to make formal, esp. for the sake of official or authorized acceptance:to formalize an understanding by drawing up a legal contract.
- to give a definite form or shape to.
- Linguisticsto state or restate (the rules or implied rules of a grammar or the like) in symbolic form.
- formal1 + -ize 1590–1600
for′mal•iz′er, n.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
formalize, formalise /ˈfɔːməˌlaɪz/ vb
'formalized' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
abstract
- dive
- nonobjective
- realism
- realist
- silver fern
- agon
- ballet
- cotillion
- generative grammar
- joust
- language
- learning
- unity