in form

prepositional phrase

As a matter of form; formally.

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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. As a matter of form; formally.

    [I]t being unlikely, he ſays, that he can procure in the time, a letter from Lady Betty, under her own hand, inviting me in form to her houſe, […]

    1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXXVIII. Miss Clarissa Harlowe, to Miss Howe.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume II, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, page 266
    1 more example

    [C]uriosity could not be satisfied by a bride in a pew, and it must be left for the visits in form which were then to be paid, to settle whether she were very pretty indeed, or only rather pretty, or not pretty at all.

    1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter XIV, in Emma: […], volume II, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC, page 254
  2. Having good form; fit, performing well.

    Manchester United's in-form striker rose to head home Stewart Downing's corner and then rounded off a sweeping counter-attack involving Theo Walcott and Ashley Young to wrap up the formalities seconds before the break.

    2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
on form
Cite this entry
APA

in form. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20form

MLA

“in form.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20form. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in form,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20form.

Source: in form on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.