as in defect
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing
a primitive culture that cast aside infants born with deformities, allowing them to die of exposure to the elements
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Recent Examples of deformity
Fish embryos that grow in the presence of oil may be born with heart defects, as well as spine and skull deformities.
—
Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Born with a club foot and a deformity to his right ear, Meyers — who also contracted polio as a child — found solace in music.
—Hector Saldana, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Mar. 2026
In December 2023, the FDA issued a warning about the dangers of fat-dissolving injections after many reports of severe side effects, including permanent scars, serious infections, skin deformities, cysts, and deep, painful knots.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Scientists learned to stimulate the ovaries with hormones to produce more eggs; then, to biopsy those eggs to check for genetic deformities.
—Phineas Rueckert, Longreads, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deformity
Jeffrey Marlow, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Born with a club foot and a deformity to his right ear, Meyers — who also contracted polio as a child — found solace in music.
—Hector Saldana, San Antonio Express-News, 9 Mar. 2026
In December 2023, the FDA issued a warning about the dangers of fat-dissolving injections after many reports of severe side effects, including permanent scars, serious infections, skin deformities, cysts, and deep, painful knots.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
Scientists learned to stimulate the ovaries with hormones to produce more eggs; then, to biopsy those eggs to check for genetic deformities.
—Phineas Rueckert, Longreads, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deformity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deformity
Noun
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Equipped with onboard sensors, ANYmal scans equipment for structural defects, overheating, and gas leaks without human supervision.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
22 June 2026
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Federal bridge inspections – rooted in National Bridge Inspection Standards mandated by Congress in 1968 – exist because past failures showed that small defects can threaten large structures.—
Alex Krasnok,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
Noun
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But for Johnny, the scar is a source of pride.—
Wendy Grossman Kantor,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
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Now Reid, dressed in black with his chest partially exposed beneath an open jacket revealing a scar, stepped on stage and into the role of Lestat in front of the audience.—
Precious Fondren,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
Noun
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Pine snakes can grow up to 56 inches in length, have black, brown, and russet scales with dark blotches along their backs, and are noted for having a pointed nose, which experts believe may help with burrowing.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
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Inadequate iron causes young leaves to appear yellow with green veins, while magnesium deficiency causes blotches or spots on older leaves.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deformity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deformity. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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