Definition of conformnext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb conform contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of conform are accommodate, adapt, adjust, and reconcile. While all these words mean "to bring one thing into correspondence with another," conform applies to bringing into accordance with a pattern, example, or principle.

refused to conform to society's values

Where would accommodate be a reasonable alternative to conform?

The words accommodate and conform can be used in similar contexts, but accommodate may suggest yielding or compromising to effect a correspondence.

accommodated his political beliefs in order to win

When could adapt be used to replace conform?

The meanings of adapt and conform largely overlap; however, adapt implies a modification according to changing circumstances.

adapted themselves to the warmer climate

When would adjust be a good substitute for conform?

In some situations, the words adjust and conform are roughly equivalent. However, 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

When might reconcile be a better fit than conform?

The synonyms reconcile and conform are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

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 conform Researchers fabricated the devices on 4-inch wafers as well as flexible substrates, potentially making the architecture suitable for electronics that need to conform to non-flat surfaces. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026 What’s Happening Photobiomodulation, better known as red light therapy, has moved out of dermatology clinics and into body-conforming consumer wearables like masks, belts, wraps and pods. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026 Not every state conforms to the federal rules, and an investor’s residence may change over the holding period, so federal tax deferral doesn’t always produce identical state-tax treatment. — Fernando Jimenez, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026 Those who refuse to conform to the changing seasons can take solace in the constants, like a stellar late-week crossword from Rafael Musa. — Sean McGowan, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for conform
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conform
Verb
  • Neither corresponds to any investigation, case, incident, or call for service.
    — Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
  • But the date passed with no sign of an opening and without North Korea doing corresponding works on its side.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Chow followed it with Kung Fu Hustle (2004), another genre-blending smash that earned more than $100 million worldwide and cemented his reputation as one of Hong Kong’s greatest comedy-action hitmakers.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The hair accessories blended effortlessly with her texture, folding between the body of her hair thanks to celebrity hair architect Igor Rosales.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • What began as a rebellion against broken classrooms has become a test of whether France can reconcile its costly promises with its financial reality before the divisions consuming its schools deepen further.
    — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Mercury in your 12th House quincunxes Saturn in your 5th, making private thoughts, uncertainty, or unspoken feelings harder to reconcile with fun, romance, or creative expression.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The movie, directed by Siân Heder and starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, adapts Gabrielle Zevin’s best-selling novel about game developers.
    — Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The ability to adapt to these pressures will play out differently across fashion’s market segments, Skrami said.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • These unprecedented attacks in waters near NATO countries coincide with a growing wave of incidents attributed to Russian hybrid or gray-zone warfare tactics.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
  • This shift coincided with a competitive Republican primary and an uncompetitive Democratic primary for governor in 2026, while both parties held competitive gubernatorial primaries in 2022.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Because the size of a black hole is directly correlated with its mass, this meant that the researchers were able to constrain the mass of the black hole at the heart of NGC 1275.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • On top of that, the levels of humans’ fever correlated with those of the equivalent reaction in mice, Ley says.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Next, by adjusting the photons’ frequencies (also called frequency tuning), the researchers can select which pairs undergo the measurement, controlling how smaller graph states connect to form a larger one.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Their research showed that Chinese import competition did lasting damage to American manufacturing communities, which did not adjust as smoothly as optimistic accounts of globalization predicted.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Holden’s ear for beats has steadily improved to fit his breakneck delivery since 2022, peaking with 2025’s Mulberry Silk Road, which was primarily laced by German producer 2000 Souls and executive-produced by Marciano.
    — Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Surely this fits McCutcheon’s criteria of adding names for doing significant things future generations should remember, since this donation reopened the monument after its public closure.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Conform.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conform. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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