unformed

adjective

un·​formed ˌən-ˈfȯrmd How to pronounce unformed (audio)
: not arranged in regular shape, order, or relations
especially : immature, undeveloped

Examples of unformed in a Sentence

what was once an unformed lump of clay is now an attractive, useful bowl under his care and tutelage, young men, unformed in mind and body, became battle-worthy soldiers
Recent Examples on the Web Public standards have been demolished, and that deprivation has permeated the unformed morality of the young generation. Armond White, National Review, 30 Aug. 2023 What words in the yet unformed Occident May come refined with the accents that are ours? Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2023 Radcliffe’s characters are on the whole more timid, conflicted, insecure, unformed; Viswanathan’s are smarter, impulsive, adventurous and unconventional and yearn for something more. Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2023 Around the same time Loeb's book was published, French physician Alexis Carrel developed techniques for growing tissues in a culture medium: a kind of unformed living material. Philip Ball, Scientific American, 18 Apr. 2023 The ups and downs of life at a particular age, with peer pressures, communication with parents, relationships formed and unformed and other things, always go on. Sylvia Gurinsky, Sun Sentinel, 13 Apr. 2023 The country referenced in its title is by turns a literal place — namely America or France, where Baldwin himself famously made a second home — and a metaphorical one, representing the space of human experience and the unformed possibilities that lie beyond American repression. Alice McDermott, New York Times, 22 June 2022 Lowden is fine, in an unformed sort of way. Mark Feeney, BostonGlobe.com, 2 June 2022 Our stories feel fatally unformed. Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2022

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

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near unformed

Cite this Entry

“Unformed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unformed. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

unformed

adjective
un·​formed ˌən-ˈfȯ(ə)rmd How to pronounce unformed (audio)
1
: not arranged in regular shape, order, or relations
especially : shapeless
2
: immature, undeveloped
an unformed thought
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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