deform

verb

de·​form di-ˈfȯrm How to pronounce deform (audio)
dē-
deformed; deforming; deforms

transitive verb

1
: to spoil the form of
2
a
: to spoil the looks of : disfigure
a face deformed by bitterness
b
: to mar the character of
a marriage deformed by jealousy
3
: to alter the shape of by stress

intransitive verb

: to become misshapen or changed in shape
deformable adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for deform

deform, distort, contort, warp means to mar or spoil by or as if by twisting.

deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth.

a face deformed by hatred

distort and contort both imply a wrenching from the natural or normal, but contort suggests a more involved twisting and a more grotesque and painful result.

the odd camera angle distorts the figure
disease had contorted her body

warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane.

warped floorboards

Examples of deform in a Sentence

The disease eventually deforms the bones. The disease eventually causes the bones to deform.
Recent Examples on the Web If a wheel is deformed, another machine in the shop can grind it true. David Waldstein, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Already, the heat has melted or deformed the landfill’s gas collection system, which consists mostly of polyvinyl chloride well casings. Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2023 Our specialist pointed out how the cars deformed predictably, absorbing the impact energy and protecting the passenger safety cell. Alex Kalogiannis, Ars Technica, 6 Nov. 2023 Even better, these mirrors can be quite thin, and can deform their shape on demand to overcome the blurring induced by Earth’s atmosphere. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 23 Nov. 2023 The new telescope will employ mirrors that can automatically deform, very slightly, in real time, to minimize the effect of the stray light that gets past the coronagraph. Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Jan. 2024 All in all, this is a good bill, and it can be fully paid for by clawing back a Covid-era payroll-tax credit that has deformed into a tax shelter. Ryan Ellis, National Review, 22 Jan. 2024 Alternatively, post-glacial rebound deforms the planet as ice sublimates and land mass moves back into the gaps left behind. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 17 Aug. 2023 In some cases, arthritis can even make the joints appear deformed. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 11 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deform.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French desfurmer, from Latin deformare, from de- + formare to form, from forma form

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deform was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near deform

Cite this Entry

“Deform.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deform. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

deform

verb
de·​form di-ˈfȯ(ə)rm How to pronounce deform (audio)
ˈdē-
: to make or become misshapen or changed in shape
deformation
ˌdē-ˌfȯr-ˈmā-shən
ˌdef-ər-
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on deform

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!