misshapen

adjective

mis·​shap·​en ˌmis-ˈshā-pən 

1

: having an ugly or deformed shape

It is, in fact, a homely and misshapen little gray airplane that looks like it was cobbled together in someone's garage.

—Patricia Trenner

2

: morally or intellectually deformed or distorted

misshapen ideas of justice

misshapenly adverb

She has brought Trot, her mangy mongrel, with her. He lies misshapenly across her vast lap …

—John le Carré

misshapenness noun

… masterpieces of dullness, misshapenness, and folly …

—Louis Simpson

Synonyms of misshapen

• distorted
• monstrous
• deformed

Examples of misshapen in a Sentence

the returning camper proudly presented his mother with a misshapen clay bowl that he had made in crafts class

Recent Examples on the Web

The show notes describe the opening hoodies and sweatpants as deliberately misshapen, with an oversized silhouette and heavy jackets worn open. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026

The first Practical Magic, directed by Griffin Dunne, is shaggy and misshapen in how its tone and plot take shape. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

And as Aroonpheng spins his narrative into a long, misshapen web, the drama involving Yak vanishes behind a cloud of fog and transforms into the film’s most baffling yet bracing detour. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

Yet Na also insists on treating his aliens as objects of contemplation and pathos—reflections of our own misshapen humanity. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misshapen

• shapen

Kids Definition

misshapen

adjective

mis·​shap·​en

(ˈ)mis-ˈshā-pən, 

(ˈ)mish-

: badly shaped : having an ugly shape