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 Every year, event planner Raul Ávila is given a daunting task: to transform the Metropolitan Museum of Art into an otherworldly spectacle for the annual Met Gala. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2025 By deploying advanced satellite technology at scale, Project Kuiper aims to provide reliable internet access to millions of people who currently lack connectivity, empowering individuals and transforming communities worldwide. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 30 Apr. 2025 The spot is the latest from DirecTV, which has been transforming itself from a satellite pay-TV provider into a streaming platform. Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2025 Times Square turnkey: Pfizer’s former headquarters in Manhattan is being transformed into about 1,600 apartments. James Barron, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for transform
Recent Examples of Synonyms for transform
Verb
  • Last March, Jost and Davidson’s business partner Ron Castellano noted that their plans are still underway for a potentially $34 million project to convert the vessel into a floating entertainment complex complete with bars, restaurants and possibly a hotel.
    Glenn Garner, Deadline, 3 May 2025
  • What started as a project to convert a collection of warehouses owned by the Alserkal family into art galleries has become a vibrant art district that hosted some of the most talked about cultural events during their Alserkal Art Week, which ran just before Art Dubai.
    Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 2 May 2025
Verb
  • Between deciding how to split bills, who takes out the trash, and when to remodel the kitchen, deciding how to decorate your new place can feel like an afterthought.
    Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 May 2025
  • List of Walmart locations to undergo remodeling in five US states Walmart shared a list of stores that will be remodeled across five U.S. states: North Carolina, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • The result was, if not a religious experience, then a spiritually transfiguring one.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The scene is a horrifying tableau, but one somehow transmuted, by the camera’s unwavering focus and the doctor’s calm, soothing ministrations, into an incongruous vision of grace.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
  • And transmuting them into LSD is similarly intricate.
    John Semley, Rolling Stone, 19 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Transform.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/transform. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on transform

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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