Synonym Chooser

How is the word transform different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of transform are convert, metamorphose, transfigure, transmogrify, and transmute. While all these words mean "to change a thing into a different thing," transform implies a major change in form, nature, or function.

transformed a small company into a corporate giant

When would convert be a good substitute for transform?

The words convert and transform are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, convert implies a change fitting something for a new or different use or function.

converted the study into a nursery

When is metamorphose a more appropriate choice than transform?

While the synonyms metamorphose and transform are close in meaning, metamorphose suggests an abrupt or startling change induced by or as if by magic or a supernatural power.

awkward girls metamorphosed into graceful ballerinas

When is it sensible to use transfigure instead of transform?

The words transfigure and transform can be used in similar contexts, but transfigure implies a change that exalts or glorifies.

joy transfigured her face

When might transmogrify be a better fit than transform?

In some situations, the words transmogrify and transform are roughly equivalent. However, transmogrify suggests a strange or preposterous metamorphosis.

a story in which a frog is transmogrified into a prince

When can transmute be used instead of transform?

The synonyms transmute and transform are sometimes interchangeable, but transmute implies transforming into a higher element or thing.

attempted to transmute lead into gold

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of transform Digital twinning and the like will save countless lives, transform our world and enhance our quality of life in so many ways. John Werner, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025 Throughout his 12-year tenure with the heritage American brand, Vevers has transformed the business by introducing ready-to-wear and modernizing its handbags for the next generation of fashion enthusiasts. Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025 The West Loop up through West Town The West Loop was once an industrial zone and meatpacking district but has transformed into a lively dining and nightlife hub. Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025 Jennifer Lawrence is about to demonstrate how much a bag can transform an outfit. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for transform
Recent Examples of Synonyms for transform
Verb
  • Customers can wrap the truck’s exterior paneling in a color or print of their choosing, as well as customize lighting and tires, and even convert the two-passenger flat bed truck into a 5-person SUV.
    Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2025
  • In his testimony, Norwood argues that Entergy failed to consider other less costly options for its generating project in Jefferson County, namely converting the already-existing White Bluff facility to burn natural gas.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • At the time, Masino said Cracker Barrel planned to remodel 25 to 30 stores in its 2025 fiscal year, which ended July 31.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Cracker Barrel won't remodel its restaurants after all.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Davis Center opened last month, transfiguring six acres at the north end of Central Park.
    Michael Kimmelman, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • In each instance, the duties of the office transfigured the man into a sign and symbol of hope in the face of death.
    The Editors, National Review, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • All would be transmuted, lightly, into fiction.
    Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Nuclear reactors, where heavy elements were transmuted into lighter ones, released antineutrinos that could be absorbed by atomic nuclei outside of the reactor, leading to their discovery.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Transform.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/transform. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on transform

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