formation
noun
for·ma·tion
fȯr-ˈmā-shən 
1
: an act of giving form or shape to something or of taking form : development
2
: something that is formed
new word formations
3
: the manner in which a thing is formed : structure
the peculiar formation of the heart
4
: a major kind of plant growth (such as forest, grassland, or tundra) characteristic of a broad ecological region
5
a
: any igneous, sedimentary, or metamorphic rock represented as a unit
b
: any sedimentary bed or consecutive series of beds sufficiently homogeneous or distinctive to be a unit
6
: an arrangement of a body or group of persons or things in some prescribed manner or for a particular purpose
flying in formation
Examples of formation in a Sentence
The book explains the formation of the planets.
The soldiers were marching in formation.
The team ran on the field and lined up in a punt formation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Guided tours lead visitors along pathways, share the history of the caverns, and highlight its wildlife and unique formations, like the 250-foot-deep bottomless pool.
—
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
Yapi started in place of winger Kévin Cabral and the Rapids switched up the formation to a fluid-looking 4-4-2.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2025
The men were captured on video rolling boulders over a cliff at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, causing more than $1,000 in damage to the rock formation, McClatchy News reported.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The Context Video that captured two visitors to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area pushing rock formations off a cliff went viral last year.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for formation
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.
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
Yapi started in place of winger Kévin Cabral and the Rapids switched up the formation to a fluid-looking 4-4-2.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2025
The men were captured on video rolling boulders over a cliff at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, causing more than $1,000 in damage to the rock formation, McClatchy News reported.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The Context Video that captured two visitors to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area pushing rock formations off a cliff went viral last year.
—Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for formation
Cite this Entry
“Formation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/formation. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
formation
noun
for·ma·tion
fȯr-ˈmā-shən
Medical Definition
formation
noun
for·ma·tion
fȯr-ˈmā-shən
1
: an act of giving form or shape to something or of taking form : development
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share