formulating

verb

present participle of formulate
1
as in saying
to convey in appropriate or telling terms the doctor was trying to formulate a good way to tell her that she would need surgery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in preparing
to put (something) into proper and usually carefully worked out written form a writer planning to formulate a response to what he considered a very unfair review of his work

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 formulating Start by clearly formulating your idea into a concise concept paper or one-page summary including benefits, technical feasibility, and potential business impact. — IEEE Spectrum, 17 Aug. 2026 Beneficiaries of this trend tend to be later-stage companies with strong revenues, scale, and a firm handle on customer needs, rather than seed and series A startups that are still formulating their strategy, investors told Semafor. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026 Dermatologists are weighing in, brands are formulating around it and consumers priced out of in-office treatments are eyeing it as the next at-home upgrade. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 27 July 2026 Real thinking — the kind that understands a question, grasps its context and goes out to gather information before formulating a response. — Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 This lineup of body care products is a masterclass in formulating and designing a summer beauty collection for all ages and occasions. — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 7 July 2026 Vahidi has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough stance in negotiating a possible permanent end to the war with the United States, experts say. — ABC News, 2 July 2026 Ford, in his first interview about the film, is still formulating his thoughts on it. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026 Brian Dutcher and his staff work hard during the basketball season, planning practices, formulating game plans, watching film, meeting with players, visiting with high school recruits, speaking with the media, talking to administrators, attending donor events, raising money, getting on planes. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formulating
  1. saying
  2. preparing
  3. expressing
  4. composing
  5. articulating
  6. drafting
  7. putting
  8. stating
Verb
  • On Monday, those five writers — also DSA-LA members — panned the idea of an endorsement, saying Raman hasn’t earned it.
    — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The display was set up by police, with authorities saying some of the bodies recovered from the floods were in an advanced state of decomposition, making physical identification difficult.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of saying
Verb
  • Gemini's agents can assist with contract review and redlining, legal and policy research, regulatory monitoring, drafting NDAs, preparing documents for redaction, creating contracting playbooks and handling data-subject access requests.
    — Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Even as the justices were preparing to release their opinion, the postal service did in fact develop and release a new rule about mail-in voting.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of preparing
Verb
  • Even those who did not know Parton personally felt the loss, with Sarah Jessica Parker expressing her admiration for the multi-hyphenate.
    — Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The State Department issued a statement on Wednesday expressing condolences to the victims of the flooding and pledged financial support.
    — Matteo Moschella, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of expressing
Verb
  • Rather than composing the harmful instruction in plaintext, the hacker encrypts it.
    — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Eisenberg wrote, directed and produced the film, also appearing in it and composing its original music and lyrics.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of composing
Verb
  • In contrast, charismatic signaling typically involves articulating a vision that connects present circumstances with a desirable collective future.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Park excels at articulating the importance and immediacy of youth, when bonds carry an extra intensity that makes breaking them feel bigger than life.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of articulating
Verb
  • The next step will be drafting the final language governing the sale and preservation requirements before the property changes hands.
    — Noah Daly August 27, Idaho Statesman, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Examples include preparing a report from recent conversations or drafting a follow-up on what was discussed in the latest meeting.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of drafting
Verb
  • Mars challenges restrictive Saturn, putting your desire to take a chance against someone else’s need for reassurance.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The CameraJet came out on top on every metric—but the comparison seems a bit like putting a mortar and pestle up against a VitaMix.
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of putting
Verb
  • There was a case being made here, without stating it quite so bluntly, that the two greatest decades for women in pop music were the ’90s and the 2020s.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The California Highway Patrol posted on social media stating that the crash involved a single big rig near Floriston, east of Truckee.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of stating

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Cite this Entry

“Formulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formulating. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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