deformation

noun

de·​for·​ma·​tion ˌdē-ˌfȯr-ˈmā-shən  ˌde-fər- 

1

: alteration of form or shape

also : the product of such alteration

2

: the action of deforming : the state of being deformed

3

: change for the worse

deformational

ˌdē-ˌfȯr-ˈmā-shə-nᵊl 

ˌde-fər-

adjective

Synonyms

• contortion
• distortion
• misshaping
• screwing
• squinching
• torturing
• warping

Examples of deformation in a Sentence

the catastrophic deformation of the steel girders under the enormous weight of the bridge

Recent Examples on the Web

The practice of artificial cranial deformation has actually shown up loads of times throughout history, in lots of different parts of the world—on most continents, in fact. —Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 3 July 2024

Icelandic geoscientists and international collaborators are tracking the frequency and intensity of seismic activity and ground deformation in real time. —Jacopo Prisco, CNN, 28 June 2024

Engineers also have to account for the balance of all the forces acting on the object, both internal and external, and specify how the strains are related to deformations in different directions. —Manil Suri, Scientific American, 25 June 2024

Beyond comfort, their structural integrity ensures that the denim maintains its shape and strength over time, reducing the likelihood of sagging and deformation. —WWD, 21 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1551, in the meaning defined at sense 3