Can you give an example? I can't speak for all possible lisps but Common Lisp and clojure have great string built-ins:

▲ z_open a day ago | parent [-]

printf("x = %6d\ny = %.8E\n", x, y) ;

What's the equivalent lisp?

▲ mrcode007 a day ago | parent | next [-]

(format t "x = ~6d~%y = ~.8E~%" x y)

▲ taeric a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

The "format string" capabilities of common lisp are quite advanced. https://gigamonkeys.com/book/a-few-format-recipes is a fun overview.

	▲	ramenbytes a day ago \| parent [-]
		An inelegant weapon, for a less civilized age. And yet, it works.

▲ rscho a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

You seriously thought that lisps had no printf equivalent ?!

	▲	Jtsummers a day ago \| parent [-]
		People still think that Lisps only offer lists for data structures, which hasn't been true since at least 1960.

▲ zck a day ago | parent | prev [-]

Someone else has given you the Common Lisp version. Here's one for Clojure:

  (printf "x = %6d\ny = %.8E\n" x y)

If I've understood everything right, and your example is in C, the format string in Clojure is identical to the one in your comment.