1
as in shape
the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance
the wood-carver carved the block of wood into the form of a duck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in manner
personal conduct or behavior as evaluated by an accepted standard of appropriateness for a social or professional setting
it's bad form to throw a tantrum on the court just because you lost a tennis match
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in condition
a state of being or fitness
after a long season off, the football team is back in good form
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
6
as in ritual
an oft-repeated action or series of actions performed in accordance with tradition or a set of rules
we'll use the second form in our church missals for today's Lenten service
Synonyms & Similar Words
7
as in etiquette
socially acceptable behavior
displayed good form throughout the formal dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in method
the means or procedure for doing something
there are established forms for voting on motions and amendments at meetings
Synonyms & Similar Words
9
10
as in format
the way in which the elements of something (as a work of art) are arranged
museumgoers liked the asymmetrical form of the mobile
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to crystallize
to take on a definite form
my ideas on the subject are just starting to form
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to comprise
to be all the substance of
this one sentence really forms the basis of your argument
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to produce
to bring into being by combining, shaping, or transforming materials
formed the pot out of the clay
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to start
to come into existence
the new company formed from two smaller ones
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to develop
to come to have gradually
I don't want you beginning skiers to form any bad habits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of form
David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2026
The erosion of our society's collective attention span via TikTok and other short-form video apps has been a running joke for a while now.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Jada Yuan, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
The Casting Directors Branch was formed in July 2013 and has nearly 160 members.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for form
Noun
This is not an attempt to annex and govern new territories, to bring these countries under the United States flag by force, or to launch a years-long campaign to install a new form of government.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2026
The erosion of our society's collective attention span via TikTok and other short-form video apps has been a running joke for a while now.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
His last film, the tragically underseen Flora and Son with Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is about a guitar teacher in America forming a bond with an Irish single mom over lessons on Zoom and eventually returning to his own promising music career.
—Jada Yuan, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026
The Casting Directors Branch was formed in July 2013 and has nearly 160 members.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for form
Recent Examples of Synonyms for form
Noun
-
This means that your desire to whip things in shape at home or with a family member might be ill-timed.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Let collaboration shape a strong plan.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some of the future document cuts after the initial website launch will include public city datasets, which staff said could be removed if they aren’t required to be posted online and aren’t frequently accessed.—
Chaya Tong,
Austin American Statesman,
19 Mar. 2026
-
But a Reuters survey conducted last summer also found more than 70% of respondents believe AI is a force for good in the legal field that can drastically reduce the amount of human work hours put into tedious tasks, including reviewing lengthy documents.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Two innings later, Team USA got its first two runs in the same manner but offered a contrast in styles.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The office also didn’t deposit checks in a timely manner, the recent audit found.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The judge had set their bail at $25,000 each with home confinement, GPS monitoring, and other conditions because of the delays caused by the Quigley allegations disclosure.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
19 Mar. 2026
-
The task force will monitor conditions across the state and recommend mitigation efforts to Polis.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Pairing their Tiny Desk set with four new songs, the album was accompanied by a short film that turned them into grotesque cartoons of themselves, alternating between looksmaxxing and airbrushed, doll-like looks reminiscent of the Backstreet Boys’ turn-of-the-millennium aesthetic.—
Maria Nenet Barrios,
Pitchfork,
19 Mar. 2026
-
Denise holding a White, blond doll; Lisa and her sister Kimberly growing up; Denise in a casket.—
John Archibald,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Here, group dates often involve good-natured humiliation rituals that vaguely correspond to a romantic theme.—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Before streaming playlists with 10,000 songs in your pocket, there was the sacred ritual of choosing one album to bring with you.—
Ryan Brennan
March 20,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Good ex-etiquette doesn’t require emotional intimacy with your ex.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
15 Mar. 2026
-
This letter is not only a breach of etiquette, but also a conflict of professional interest.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Love and blessings, fresh insights and methods, and what should be plenty of money.—
Magi Helena,
Dallas Morning News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
For the first time, researchers have developed a new method to transform common plastic into a medication used to treat neurodegenerative Parkinson’s disease.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Form.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/form. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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