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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 The pressure to conform or compromise is real, but staying true to your principles creates a foundation for lasting trust and meaningful success. Aslak De Silva, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 Unlike picks in our guide, this is a softer mattress for sleepers who might look for a memory foam mattress that conforms to their bodies. Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 23 Apr. 2025 There is a vast tide of Imperial functionaries, from soldiers to bureaucrats to technicians, all conforming to survive the predations of the Emperor’s whims. Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2025 Trump, meanwhile, will feel little pressure to conform to reality. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conform
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conform
Verb
  • Note: Most subscribers have some, but not all, of the puzzles that correspond to the following set of solutions for their local newspaper.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 8 May 2025
  • And consider this: From 1969 to the present, 15 of the 20 Supreme Court appointments have been by Republican presidents, even though the Democratic nominees had won the national popular vote in a majority of the corresponding elections.
    Joel Thayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 May 2025
Verb
  • Entertaining and insightful, the demonstrations blend history, storytelling, and preparation techniques of dishes like shrimp ceviche and ropa vieja—edible reflections of Key West’s Bahamian, Cuban, and Caribbean influences.
    Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 8 May 2025
  • This traveling show blends smoke, elixirs, potions, bubbles, cauldrons, alcohol and mocktails for a unique drinking engagement.
    Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • The couple went their separate ways in 1994, before reconciling and getting married in 1997.
    Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 17 May 2025
  • He was sometimes likened to Nelson Mandela, that other legendary political prisoner of the Cold War, who similarly spent his postwar life working to reconcile his countrymen and extolling the virtues of nonviolence.
    Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Lydon emphasized that Prevost’s thinking on such issues could adapt over time but emphasized that as pope, Prevost must now contend with the beliefs of more than a billion Catholics spread across the globe.
    Eric Bradner, CNN Money, 9 May 2025
  • The Air Force originally hoped the existing silos that have housed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles could be adapted to launch Sentinel missiles, which would be more efficient than digging entirely new silos.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 9 May 2025
Verb
  • The launch of the fund coincides with major sports leagues making multiple changes to ownership rules related to institutional investment.
    Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 15 May 2025
  • This current push to create a federal voucher program coincides with an unprecedented effort by the Trump administration to otherwise gut the federal government's role in education.
    Cory Turner, NPR, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • The researchers found that outward response and inner awareness were not always correlated: The most physically responsive patients were not necessarily the ones with the clearest signs of brain activity when asked to imagine the tasks.
    Sarah Zhang, The Atlantic, 16 May 2025
  • As a result, the tine on the opposite side that roughly correlates is thus an unmatched non-symmetry point and is therefore an abnormal point.
    Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 9 May 2025
  • By using the screwdriver to rotate this screw, adjust the side-to-side position of the cabinet door.
    Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • Its adaptable, low-profile design fits into a variety of spaces without the bulk of traditional units.
    Jon Stojan, USA Today, 10 May 2025
  • For those who do not want to venture too far from Western flavors, the Shiitake Fettuccine might fit the bill.
    Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conform.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conform. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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