form letter

American  

noun

1. a standardized letter that can be sent to any number of persons, occasionally personalized by inserting the name of each recipient in the salutation.

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form letter British  

noun

1. a single copy of a letter that has been mechanically reproduced in large numbers for circulation

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Etymology

Origin of form letter

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Example Sentences

Many patients learn about their dense breast tissue during their annual screening mammogram exam or in the form letter they receive afterward.

From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026

Sylvia confirmed she had received a written apology, which she she described as "like a form letter" but had not seen an action plan the trust had been told to provide.

From BBC • Dec. 16, 2025

They grabbed pan dulce and coffee, fact sheets and a form letter arguing in favor of Carrillo’s proposed legislation, and vented about what they claimed was decades of political neglect.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2024

Apple Music sent a form letter, too, though it included a tantalizing clue: the name of the company that had uploaded the songs.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2024

The next morning, I found a form letter on my bedside table.

From "The Lightning Thief" by Rick Riordan