Synonyms of deform

deform

verb

di-ˈfȯrm 

as in to distort

to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition

a cynic whose face seems to be permanently deformed by a sneer

Synonyms & Similar Words

• distort
• contort
• screw
• curl
• misshape
• warp
• torture
• disfigure
• deface
• squinch
• loop
• coil
• spiral
• wind
• wring
• wrench
• twine
• wrest
• wreathe

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straighten
• unbend
• uncurl

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb deform contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of deform are contort, distort, and warp. While all these words mean "to mar or spoil by or as if by twisting," deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth.

a face deformed by hatred

How are the words distort and contort related as synonyms of deform?

Distort and contort both imply a wrenching from the natural or normal, but contort suggests a more involved twisting and a more grotesque and painful result.

the odd camera angle distorts the figure

disease had contorted her body

When can warp be used instead of deform?

In some situations, the words warp and deform are roughly equivalent. However, warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane.

warped floorboards

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deform

The tree resin then sank to the seafloor where it was covered by sediments, deforming the single fragments and preserving them as amber. —David Bressan, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025

Tectonics refers to the processes that deform a rocky planet’s brittle outer shell. —Elise Cutts, Scientific American, 13 May 2025

This activity, characterized by a feature called a corona, may be deforming the planet’s surface in a way similar to events in Earth’s past. —Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 14 May 2025

The analysis revealed that the mantle beneath the near versus the far side of the moon has a difference in its ability to deform—one of about 2–3 percent. —Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025