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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As a result, his vocals have a kind of stately yet starry-eyed quality, giving structure to these deformed, cosmic beats from the internet abyss. Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 3 Sep. 2025 This movement deforms a fault network stretching west, where shallow earthquake occur (shown in orange and red). David Bressan, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Tidal forces – the differences in gravitational forces that objects in space exert on different parts of a nearby second object – deform a planet, and the friction causes the material being deformed to heat up. Juliette Becker, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2025 Shortly after their release in early 2023, some Ryzen 7000-series X3D chips were becoming physically deformed, developing bulges on the bottom that could permanently damage the CPU and bend the pins in the CPU socket. Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deform

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deform.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deform. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.

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
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