1
as in amorphous
having no definite or recognizable form
a formless mass of clay that the potter transformed into an attractive bowl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spiritual
not composed of matter
from this formless void the universe was supposed to have been created
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 formless
There is clearly some strife between Ben and Louise, unresolved tension that is often exacerbated by Ben’s unemployment, along with his tendency to be a formless wet blanket.
—
Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 10 Sep. 2024
Read: When growing up happens in a single conversation
That loose sensibility does yield a film that can feel somewhat formless, playing like an eclectic album of snapshots from Chris’s life rather than a cohesive whole.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2024
There’s also brands like Online Ceramics, whose shirts hang thick and wide, and Ghetto Rodeo, their specialty being formless, culture-affirming clothes tailored for Latin bodies like mine.
—Reanna Cruz, Them, 30 July 2024
Frozen filthy formless lumps, the remainders of the snow, persisted at the street corners and in the deep recesses between buildings, loomed sinisterly in the gaping bomb sites.
—Tessa Hadley, The New Yorker, 23 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for formless
Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 10 Sep. 2024
Read: When growing up happens in a single conversation
That loose sensibility does yield a film that can feel somewhat formless, playing like an eclectic album of snapshots from Chris’s life rather than a cohesive whole.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2024
There’s also brands like Online Ceramics, whose shirts hang thick and wide, and Ghetto Rodeo, their specialty being formless, culture-affirming clothes tailored for Latin bodies like mine.
—Reanna Cruz, Them, 30 July 2024
Frozen filthy formless lumps, the remainders of the snow, persisted at the street corners and in the deep recesses between buildings, loomed sinisterly in the gaping bomb sites.
—Tessa Hadley, The New Yorker, 23 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for formless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for formless
Adjective
-
At Bonniers Konsthall, with its low mechanical rhythm and amorphous forms, the sculpture breathes and shudders in a space that feels eerily alive—a shelter of desire, decay, and instability.—
Nargess Banks,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
Death exists in these films as an amorphous concept; there’s no cloaked villain carrying a scythe.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Francis’s wan desire for a spiritual element to his reconciliation with his brothers is probably Anderson’s get-out-of-jail-free card for this movie being aware of its own shallowness.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
-
Those who work at White Pony speak of it with a spiritual reverence.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
She was dressed in gray baggy pants and a shapeless brown shirt, her tiny hands clasping a clipboard.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
1 May 2025
-
From the shapeless bulbous blobfish to the white, fuzzy-armed yeti crab, some animals live up to their name.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Indeed, in stark contrast to the incorporeal nature of a digital image, each of Winant’s photographs is, in a sense, a discrete body: a fallible material entity that boasts a hidden physical history and that will compositionally deteriorate over time.—
Jessica Simmons-Reid,
Artforum,
1 June 2025
-
If reason teaches that God is incorporeal, this means that God has no body; God does not physically see, nor do people see God.—
Randy L. Friedman,
The Conversation,
16 Feb. 2024
Adjective
-
Residents say the chaotic clashes between federal immigration authorities and protesters on Saturday left them shaken.—
Nathan Solis,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
-
One of the most prolific voice actors in the business, Baker has made a career out of bringing animals, creatures, and the occasional chaotic alien to life.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
7 June 2025
Adjective
-
Shauna speaks with Jackie all the time, but this was sort of a new metaphysical space for the show.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Cage’s haunted delivery, contrasting powerfully with Knell’s anxious, terrified giggling, gives the scene a metaphysical kick.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
The serious implication of it in the context of a Western, regarding the frontier as a place where state power is unformed, loose, and dubious, remains anecdotal and undeveloped.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
20 May 2025
-
In his sparse notebooks, his childish, unformed handwriting was endearing to me.—
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,
Vogue,
13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The data extraction process that once took weeks can happen in minutes as AI agents connect to client systems, identify relevant transactions and transform unstructured data into audit-ready formats.—
Adam Bowen,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
The unstructured design still provides enough shape for efficient packing, and the multiple zipper compartments allow easy organization.—
Donna Kim,
Travel + Leisure,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Formless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/formless. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share