formation
Troops in position
Formation is the process of something coming into being or taking shape, or the result of that process.
Rocks have formations; so do military units, marching bands, and football offenses—any group arranged in a deliberate pattern.
The band practiced their halftime formation for weeks.
The word often implies structure emerging from less organized elements: the formation of a government, the formation of an opinion, the formation of ice crystals on a window.
Increase in size
- emergenceComing into existence
- genesisPoint of creation
- originStarting point or source
- creationMaking something exist
establishment · founding · inception · evolution · maturation · cultivation · germination · progression
Mid-sized military unit
- regimentColonel-led military unit
- platoonSmall infantry formation
- squadronMilitary aviation unit
- brigadeLarge military unit
division · corps · infantry · cavalry · artillery · garrison · phalanx · column
Parallel geological layers
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
- rockSolid earthen material
- limestoneCarbonate sedimentary rock
- basaltFine-grained volcanic stone
sandstone · shale · outcrop · fossil · layering · erosion · deposition · bedding
Recurring arrangement or template
- configurationArrangement of parts
- alignmentCorrect relative positioning
- arrayOrdered collection or display
- layoutSpatial arrangement of elements
sequence · grid · symmetry · structure · composition · organization · order · grouping
Underlying support system
- scaffoldTemporary elevated work structure
- architectureBuilding design discipline
- constructionProcess of building something
- foundationUnderlying support structure
assembly · fabrication · erection · edifice · infrastructure · support · truss · girder
Temporary alliance for action
- allianceFormal union of parties
- bandGroup playing music together
- teamOrganized cooperative unit
- committeeAppointed group for duties
consortium · guild · collective · assembly · federation · union · association · partnership
growth
Increase in size
creation · establishment · founding · inception · evolution · maturation · cultivation · germination · progression · advancement
battalion
Mid-sized military unit
brigade · division · corps · infantry · cavalry · artillery · garrison · phalanx · column · rank
strata
Parallel geological layers
basalt · sandstone · shale · outcrop · fossil · layering · erosion · deposition · bedding · faulting
pattern
Recurring arrangement or template
- configurationArrangement of parts
- alignmentCorrect relative positioning
- arrayOrdered collection or display
layout · sequence · grid · symmetry · structure · composition · organization · order · grouping · positioning
framework
Underlying support system
- scaffoldTemporary elevated work structure
- architectureBuilding design discipline
- constructionProcess of building something
foundation · assembly · fabrication · erection · edifice · infrastructure · support · truss · girder · skeleton
coalition
Temporary alliance for action
committee · consortium · guild · collective · assembly · federation · union · association · partnership · bloc
- footballfootball, touchdown, field goal, quarterback, end zone
- groupsteam, teams, group, club, clubs
- -tion wordscreation, production, construction, organization, administration
- group activitiesgroup games, voting, protest, group dance, group project
- emploiemploye, interim, CV, candidature, travail
- dance movespirouette, shimmy, waltz, tango, cha-cha
formationdestruction
Act of completely ruining
dissolution · disintegration · collapse · ruination · demolition
formationchaos
Complete disorder and confusion
disorder · disarray · disorganization · randomness · confusion
formationdispersal
Spreading in many directions
scattering · disbandment · dispersion · separation · breakup
- ice formationsSolidified water taking shape
- in formationOrganized spatial arrangement
- cave formationsMineral structures in caverns
- military formationsOrganized troop arrangements
- cloud formationIdentifiable sky pattern
- formative yearsChildhood and adolescence
information, transformation, informative, formative, formations, reformation, deformation, transformations, conformation