MALFORMED Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

malformed

adjective

ˌmal-ˈfȯrmd

Definition of malformed

as in distorted

badly or imperfectly formed a clay sculpture of an eagle that was so malformed that it looked more like a feathered football

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 malformed Ina Park, a spokeswoman for the expo’s Korean pavilion, was eager to introduce Balance Grow’s Fried Calamari Snack, which looked like slightly malformed Utz Potato Stix. — J.m. Hirsch, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026 Now imagine that instead of writing tweets, a malformed AI model would be producing military advice or making military decisions. — Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026 The Port of San Diego is promoting a fundraiser supporting a Harbor Police officer recovering from a medical emergency caused by malformed blood vessels in his brain. — Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Dec. 2025 Legacy filters looking for malware or malformed links see nothing amiss. — IEEE Spectrum, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for malformed

Recent Examples of Synonyms for malformed

Adjective

Though the song is heavily acoustic, its distorted guitar solos hail squarely from the realm of harder rock, and the artificial choirs that seep in toward the end seem to call out to the symphonic citadels of the Norwegian black metallers.

— Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 19 July 2026
Sector leaders have warned for years that judging nonprofits too heavily by overhead can create distorted incentives.

— Matt Emma, USA Today, 16 July 2026

Definition of distorted

Adjective

Once activated, those brakes haul down this Cayenne with monstrous force, boosted via optional ceramic-composite brakes.

— Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 15 July 2026
Much of the season’s forward momentum is dictated by the KGB’s Colonel Lyudmilla Raskova (Anna Maxwell Martin), responsible for surveilling all employees at Star City, and her monstrous fealty to the state felt pretty one-note.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 2026

Definition of monstrous

Adjective

Its deformed and empty boxes appeared to have been crushed under a landslide of green checks.

— Will Mackin, New Yorker, 28 June 2026
Nicola said three of the four turkeys were rescue animals with deformed feet that had been sitting on eggs when they were taken.

— Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026

Definition of deformed

Adjective

Better known as citrus greening, the disease starves the roots, results in bitter, misshapen fruit, and eventually kills the tree.

— Jim Turner, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2026
Baby carrots aren't just a marketing gimmick or a way to get kids to eat their vegetables—they were originally developed as a way to make good use of misshapen or imperfect carrots.

— Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 6 July 2026

Definition of misshapen

Browse Nearby Words

malformations

malformed

malfunction

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Malformed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malformed. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of malformed

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on malformed

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

itinerant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes