formalism

Noun

Meaning

The practice or the doctrine of strict adherence to, or dependence on, external forms, esp. in matters of religion.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

pedantry ritualism form orthodoxy cant literalism mummery usage ceremony protocol cult celebration prescription conformity austerity
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Antonyms

imitation paragon copy reproduction parody replica
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Hypernyms

ism practice philosophy pattern doctrine school of thought

Phrases with the word

first-order formalism lagrangian formalism zombie formalism

Examples

Formalism is music that people don't understand at first hearing. Sergei Prokofiev

In theology the conservative temper tends to formalism. Edith Hamilton

The exercises of our meeting are to be simple and devoid of all ceremonial and formalism. They are to consist of a lecture mainly, and, as a pleasing and grateful auxiliary, of music to elevate the heart and give rest to the feelings. Felix Adler

The law has outgrown its primitive stage of formalism when the precise word was the sovereign talisman, and every slip was fatal. Benjamin N. Cardozo

The exercises of our meeting are to be simple and devoid of all ceremonial and formalism. Felix Adler

We show that some known classical results have particularly simple derivations within the Ashtekar formalism. These include Witten's positive energy theorem... Lee Smolin

Close letter words and terms

formalised formaliser formalish formalist formalistic formalistically