conform

verb

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con·form | \ kən-ˈfȯrm

conformed; conforming; conforms

Definition of conform

transitive verb

: to give the same shape, outline, or contour to : bring into harmony or accord conform furrows to the slope of the land

intransitive verb

1 : to be similar or identical also : to be in agreement or harmony —used with to or with changes that conform with our plans

2a : to be obedient or compliant —usually used with to conform to another's wishesThe building doesn't conform to local regulations.

b : to act in accordance with prevailing standards or customs the pressure to conform

Other Words from conform Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did you know? More Example Sentences Learn More About conform

Choose the Right Synonym for conform

adapt, adjust, accommodate, conform, reconcile mean to bring one thing into correspondence with another. adapt implies a modification according to changing circumstances. adapted themselves to the warmer climate adjust suggests bringing into a close and exact correspondence or harmony such as exists between parts of a mechanism. adjusted the budget to allow for inflation accommodate may suggest yielding or compromising to effect a correspondence. businesses accommodating themselves to the new political reality conform applies to bringing into accordance with a pattern, example, or principle. refused to conform to society's values reconcile implies the demonstration of the underlying compatibility of things that seem to be incompatible. tried to reconcile what he said with what I knew

Did you know?

Conform, with its prefix con-, "with" or "together", means basically "to adopt the form of those around you". Thus, employee behavior must usually conform with basic company policies. A certain philosophy may be said to conform with American values (even if we sometimes have a hard time agreeing on exactly what those are). And a Maine Coon cat or a Dandie Dinmont terrier must conform to its breed requirements in order to be registered for breeding purposes. Being a conformist is usually a safe bet; being a nonconformist, who ignores society's standards and the whole idea of conformity, can be a bit dangerous but also sometimes more fun.

Examples of conform in a Sentence

Most teenagers feel pressure to conform. the list conforms with the contents of the trunk

Recent Examples on the Web That would mean Peña did not know right from wrong or couldn’t conform to the law, Polumbaum said. — Tonya Alanez, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2022 Just this summer, the European Union proposed an act that will require that anyone who wants to use, build or sell AI solutions and services will need to conform to the new laws. — Carlos Melendez, Forbes, 16 Aug. 2022 Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, though, is not one to conform to conventional norms. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2022 However, these products are not typically required to conform to any standards, leading to a highly manual process of integration. — Sanjeev Mohan, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022 This pillow was also designed by a chiropractor to conform to the natural curves of a person's body while giving stability where it's needed. — Caitlyn Hitt, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2022 Even women who worked outside the home were expected to conform to feminine ideals that emphasized their differences from men. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Aug. 2022 Not all masculinity is toxic, and kids shouldn’t be forced to conform to any particular way of being. — Peggy Drexler, CNN, 11 Aug. 2022 Objectively, the Duchess of Sussex has not been willing to conform to every requirement of the institution—notably the Anglo-Saxon ones. — Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 5 Aug. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conform.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.