FORMS Synonyms: 293 Similar and Opposite Words

forms 1 of 2

noun

plural of form

as in shapes

the outward appearance of something as distinguished from its substance the wood-carver carved the block of wood into the form of a duck

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as in documents

a piece of paper with information written or to be written on it I filled out all the forms for applying to the school

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as in figures

a three-dimensional representation of the human body used especially for displaying clothes put the dress on the form to finish pinning it together

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as in rituals

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

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as in methods

the means or procedure for doing something there are established forms for voting on motions and amendments at meetings

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as in physiques

the type of body that a person has he has the big-boned form of a linebacker

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as in formats

the way in which the elements of something (as a work of art) are arranged museumgoers liked the asymmetrical form of the mobile

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forms

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of form

as in crystallizes

to take on a definite form my ideas on the subject are just starting to form

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as in comprises

to be all the substance of this one sentence really forms the basis of your argument

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as in produces

to bring into being by combining, shaping, or transforming materials formed the pot out of the clay

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as in originates

to come into existence the new company formed from two smaller ones

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as in develops

to come to have gradually I don't want you beginning skiers to form any bad habits

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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 forms

Noun

New worlds, new characters, new forms and disruptive genres are becoming the need of the hour. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026 Bubonic plague will often advance and turn into the other two forms of plague if untreated. — ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026 Scientists have recorded what happens inside a crystal in the split second before a quantum bit forms. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026 Police say violations can take different forms, from drivers attempting to beat a traffic signal to drivers making a right turn without stopping as required. — Nina Burns, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 The result is a true visual spectacle featuring more than 200 species of plants and flowers in a variety of colors, shapes and forms. — Nayara Batschke, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 Using the side of a chef’s knife, mash and chop together until well combined, then continue working mixture, holding knife blade at an angle, until a smooth paste forms. — Rick Martinez, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026 There are three main forms of plague—bubonic plague, septicemic plague and pneumonic plague. — Claire Maldarelli, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026 Drawn to the tactile and familiar qualities of paper, Teo uses playful forms and visual metaphors to transform everyday subjects and construct whimsical, imagined worlds. — New York Times Games, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Verb

That concept forms the basis of membrane-free electrolysis, which avoids the membrane traditionally used to separate the two electrode reactions. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026 One of the contractors wired $45 million to the holding company in January, a transaction that forms the basis of the wire fraud charge. — Stefan Becket, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 The film follows Marlon Reid, who, while recovering in hospital after near-fatal heart surgery, forms an unexpected connection with fellow survivor Elise Carter, a woman whose life becomes inexplicably intertwined with his own. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026 The model then forms statistical associations between the person’s name, profession, companies and areas of activity. — Alona Karpinska, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The discipline forms a kind of impossible conversation between the founder and her current successor. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2026 Karyu and his team used a microphysical simulation to show how cosmic dust forms the lower haze. — Elizabeth Rayne, ArsTechnica, 1 Oct. 2026 As opposed to Parmesan or mozzarella, brick cheese forms a darker, crunchier crust. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2026 Most of the attention this time of year is on the stratospheric polar vortex, which forms high above the surface as the Arctic stratosphere cools. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for forms

Noun

For Miraval The Red Sea, Foster + Partners architects have designed 180 guest rooms, suites, and villas with biophilic shapes and natural materials, allowing the accommodations to seamlessly fit into the landscape.

— Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 3 Oct. 2026
By studying what happens when these energetic particles collide with target materials, scientists can investigate the shapes and sizes of atomic nuclei.

— Andrea Richard, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of shapes

Noun

The new changes in the electoral law ease some requirements for candidates seeking office, eliminate the need for some financial documents and a mandatory medical certificate, and introduce electronic voter registration.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
But an owners representative claims that part of the problem was Erica and Peter dragging their feet on providing backup documents for their application package.

— Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of documents

Noun

The Justice Department also says Beijing is determined to sway American public opinion in its favor by cultivating relationships with political figures seen as having access to the levers of power.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Forty-five percent of adults 30 to 44 say the same; both figures have declined in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of figures

Noun

They may have been kept open throughout the year for rituals commemorating important dates and festivals, as well as the worshipping of the dead.

— Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
Reiki sessions are therapeutic and intuitive, as the practitioner hardly touches the body, and aromatic local herbs and spices are put to use during the two-hour Royal Balinese Boreh treatment that references centuries-old rituals.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of rituals

Noun

Their current fibers measure about 1 millimeter across, but improved fabrication methods could reduce that thickness to tens of micrometers.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
This idea seems corroborated by the fact that a number of papers contain strikingly similar ideas and methods—as if their authors were communicating.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of methods

Noun

Some undergo cosmetic procedures and reportedly inject their bodies with peptides, testosterone, and other substances that enhance their physiques.

— José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026
Feelings for the character, who dressed like a luchador and stretched the limits of superherodom’s already outrageous spectrum of physiques, ranged from curiosity to open and outright disdain.

— Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of physiques

Noun

Stream, a strategic partner for Talpa Studios, focused on creating formats for the streaming generation, has developed several other titles that are gaining traction in the market.

— Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
Renowned British scientist and broadcaster Brian Cox has struck a deal with SPT International Production’s Digital Studio that will see the pair create his formats in the digital space for the first time.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of formats

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formless

forms

formula

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“Forms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forms. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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noun

verb

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