formalism
noun
for·mal·ism
ˈfȯr-mə-ˌli-zəm 
1
: the practice or the doctrine of strict adherence to prescribed or external forms (as in religion or art)
also
: an instance of this
2
: marked attention to arrangement, style, or artistic means (as in art or literature) usually with corresponding de-emphasis of content
Examples of formalism in a Sentence
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While hardened reductionists have argued that there can be no free will because all causation ultimately arises from interactions of atoms and molecules, free will may be rescued by the formalism of higher-level causation.
—
Philip Ball, WIRED, 21 July 2024
The bursts of formalism, the melodramatic score, the ways in which the model-protagonist’s own profession becomes a stylistic barometer for her mental state — these are all evocative of that classic, colorful subgenre of horror.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
Using a mathematical formalism called computational mechanics, the researchers identified criteria for determining which systems have this kind of hierarchical structure.
—Philip Ball, WIRED, 21 July 2024
Reflexivity, far from representing a kind of abstract formalism, as is often supposed, constitutes a confrontational act of radical openness.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024
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Philip Ball, WIRED, 21 July 2024
The bursts of formalism, the melodramatic score, the ways in which the model-protagonist’s own profession becomes a stylistic barometer for her mental state — these are all evocative of that classic, colorful subgenre of horror.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
Using a mathematical formalism called computational mechanics, the researchers identified criteria for determining which systems have this kind of hierarchical structure.
—Philip Ball, WIRED, 21 July 2024
Reflexivity, far from representing a kind of abstract formalism, as is often supposed, constitutes a confrontational act of radical openness.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for formalism
Dictionary Entries Near formalism
Cite this Entry
“Formalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formalism. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
formalism
noun
for·mal·ism
ˈfȯr-mə-ˌliz-əm
: the strict observance of forms or customs
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