Standard Lemma guide

formulate

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfɔː(ɹ)mjʊleɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: F AO1 R M Y AH0 L EY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To put into a clear and definite form of statement or expression.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • He failed to formulate his ideas more clearly.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

elaborate, as of theories and hypotheses

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Could you develop the ideas in your thesis

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: explicate, develop

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: speculate, theorize, theorise, conjecture, hypothesize, hypothesise, hypothecate, suppose

Narrower terms: mature, redevelop, reformulate

3

verb

Meaning 3

put into words or an expression

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He formulated his concerns to the board of trustees

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: give voice, word, phrase, articulate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: express, show, evince

Narrower terms: ask, lexicalize, lexicalise, dogmatize, dogmatise, formularize, formularise, frame, redact, cast, put, couch

4

verb

Meaning 4

come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • excogitate a way to measure the speed of light

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: invent, contrive, devise, excogitate, forge

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: create by mental act, create mentally

5

verb

Meaning 5

prepare according to a formula

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: create from raw material, create from raw stuff

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English formula Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh2tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English formulate From formula + -ate.

Across languages

Translations

32 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: формули́рам (formulíram) — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Bulgarian: изразявам (izrazjavam) — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Catalan: formular — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Czech: formulovat — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Dutch: verwoorden — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Dutch: formuleren — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Esperanto: formuli — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Finnish: muotoilla — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Finnish: formuloida — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • French: formuler — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • German: formulieren — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • German: darlegen — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • German: übergeben — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Italian: formulare — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Japanese: 定式化する (teishikika suru) — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Macedonian: формули́ра (formulíra) — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Macedonian: изра́зува (izrázuva) — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Macedonian: и́зрази (ízrazi) — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Māori: whakakaupapa — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Māori: whakahiato — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Khiamniungan Naga: thóshá — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Polish: formułować — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Polish: sformułować — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Portuguese: formular — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Romanian: formula — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Russian: формули́ровать (formulírovatʹ) — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Russian: сформули́ровать (sformulírovatʹ) — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Spanish: formular — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Swedish: formulera — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Turkish: formüle etmek — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Ukrainian: формулюва́ти (formuljuváty) — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression
  • Ukrainian: сформулюва́ти (sformuljuváty) — to reduce to, or express in, a formula; to put in a clear and definite form of statement or expression