conform

verb

con·form | \ kən-ˈfȯrm

conformed; conforming; conforms

Definition of conform

: 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

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Other Words from conform

conformer noun

conformism \ kən-ˈfȯr-ˌmi-zəm

\ noun

conformist \ kən-ˈfȯr-mist

\ noun or adjective

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. accommodated his political beliefs in order to win 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

Disaster sites rarely conform to logical shapes and sizes. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "This Foldable Drone Is a Flying Transformer," 13 Dec. 2018 At a press conference announcing the new guidelines, a reporter asked Ms. Elia what would happen if a yeshiva didn’t alter its Jewish-studies emphasis to conform to her mandate. — Elya Brudny And Yisroel Reisman, WSJ, "New York State Targets Jewish Schools," 13 Dec. 2018 Even the world's oldest statute, the Lion-Man of Hohlenstein-Stadel Cave from 38,000 BC, conforms to this time-keeping system. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Cave Paintings Suggest Ancient Humans Understood the Stars Much Better Than We Thought," 29 Nov. 2018 It has been lightly edited to conform to Ars Technica style guidelines. — Ars Technica, "The Journal of Controversial Ideas—academic freedom sans responsibility is reckless," 25 Nov. 2018 So that leads to who can get elected, as a Republican needs to be able to conform to that type of picture. — Li Zhou, Vox, "The striking parallels between 1992’s “Year of the Woman” and 2018, explained by a historian," 2 Nov. 2018 The law conforms with existing federal policy on immigration enforcement in schools. — Deborah Sullivan Brennan, sandiegouniontribune.com, "State law confirms protections for immigrant students," 30 June 2018 The salvage restoration conforms to Indiana Code §9-22-3. — Holly V. Hays, Indianapolis Star, "Indianapolis police sergeant arrested on allegations of official misconduct," 31 May 2018 The change conforms with what the engine manufacturer, CFM International, which is jointly owned by GE Aviation and Safran, published last week to hasten inspections for engines with more than 20,000 flights. — Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, "FAA hastens inspections to focus on oldest 737 engines, after Southwest engine failure," 16 May 2018

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.