1
as in crystallizing
to take on a definite form
my ideas on the subject are just starting to form
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in comprising
to be all the substance of
this one sentence really forms the basis of your argument
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in producing
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 starting
to come into existence
the new company formed from two smaller ones
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in developing
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
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Recent Examples of forming
Drying the freshly cleaning surface promptly is a key final step that prevents water spots from forming.
—
Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026
For the crew, this final stage (re-entry) was the most dangerous part, with outside temperatures exceeding 5,000 °F (2,760°C) and plasma forming around it in the Earth’s atmosphere.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
According to the Iraqi constitution, the president has 15 days to task the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc with forming a government and assuming the position of prime minister.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Political parties were disincentivized from forming coalitions—which might have unified the anti-Orbán vote—by incrementally raising the threshold required for alliances to enter Parliament.
—Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Instead of swing sets or seesaws, Noguchi imagined the land itself forming ridges, steps, and mounds that would invite free-form play.
—Terry Nguyen, ARTnews.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Bateman stepped up in his place, ultimately forming an offshoot group.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 10 Apr. 2026
For starters, the explosive, caldera-forming eruptions that created Yellowstone have a different chemistry from the massive floods of lava that created the Snake River Plain.
—ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2026
An online discussion about forming an unofficial supporters section brought four guys together for a beer.
—Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2026
Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 11 Apr. 2026
For the crew, this final stage (re-entry) was the most dangerous part, with outside temperatures exceeding 5,000 °F (2,760°C) and plasma forming around it in the Earth’s atmosphere.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
According to the Iraqi constitution, the president has 15 days to task the nominee of the largest parliamentary bloc with forming a government and assuming the position of prime minister.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Political parties were disincentivized from forming coalitions—which might have unified the anti-Orbán vote—by incrementally raising the threshold required for alliances to enter Parliament.
—Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Instead of swing sets or seesaws, Noguchi imagined the land itself forming ridges, steps, and mounds that would invite free-form play.
—Terry Nguyen, ARTnews.com, 10 Apr. 2026
Bateman stepped up in his place, ultimately forming an offshoot group.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 10 Apr. 2026
For starters, the explosive, caldera-forming eruptions that created Yellowstone have a different chemistry from the massive floods of lava that created the Snake River Plain.
—ArsTechnica, 10 Apr. 2026
An online discussion about forming an unofficial supporters section brought four guys together for a beer.
—Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forming
Verb
-
Khosla himself has endorsed the idea of a national wealth fund, and the symmetry between his individual advocacy and OpenAI’s institutional proposal suggests that a policy framework is crystallizing within the AI industry’s upper echelons.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
That regime sentiment seems to be crystalizing.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Like many European cities, Rome has an extensive public transit network, comprising three metro lines, commuter trains, and countless trams and buses that crisscross the city.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Nearly 1 billion barrels will be lost by the end of the month, comprising up to 600 million barrels of crude oil and roughly 350 million barrels of refined products, according to TD Securities.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Anthropic is not the only AI lab producing models with these kinds of capabilities, or considering similar release strategies to try to ensure cyber defenders have access to these systems before hackers do.—
Beatrice Nolan,
Fortune,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Welsh proved that in cultures in the lab, CF cells accepted the healthy DNA and started producing normal CFTR.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Eastern Bloc was starting to unravel, and Fidesz, the political outfit that Orbán co-founded the year before, had been conceived as an engine of liberal reform.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
That may mean starting a new project or ending one that’s gone on too long.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With developing nations like Zambia and Sri Lanka defaulting on their debt, countries buoyed by oil reserves seemed an attractive bet.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
10 Apr. 2026
-
In light of all this, Polymarket appearing in Google News is a major victory for the prediction platform — rubber-stamping its image as an authority on developing real-world events right alongside genuine real publishers of journalism.—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Tomás Fleck Tomás is a writer/director focused on blending genres and connecting with audiences.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The museum aims to be both an incubator and a marketplace, supporting artists and connecting them with buyers.—
Carl Juste,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The study—drawing from more than 41 million shifts and 268 million hours worked—finds Gen Z is leading the way in poly-employment, composing more than half (55%) of those engaged in the practice.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Badauni served at Akbar’s court while composing a work deeply hostile to his patron; the text could only be privately circulated to a limited audience during Akbar’s lifetime and remained suppressed until after Jahangir’s accession in 1605.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The new law allows Britain to extend the reach of its criminal jurisdiction to crack down on migrants making the dangerous crossing.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The unofficial queen of the flower crown, Vanessa Hudgens was spotted making her way through the crowd during Coachella 2012.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Forming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forming. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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