deformation

noun

de·​for·​ma·​tion ˌdē-ˌfȯr-ˈmā-shən  ˌde-fər- 

1

: alteration of form or shape

also : the product of such alteration

2

: the action of deforming : the state of being deformed

3

: change for the worse

deformational

ˌdē-ˌfȯr-ˈmā-shə-nᵊl 

ˌde-fər-

adjective

Synonyms

• contortion
• distortion
• misshaping
• screwing
• squinching
• torturing
• warping

Examples of deformation in a Sentence

the catastrophic deformation of the steel girders under the enormous weight of the bridge

Recent Examples on the Web

Hawaii's Big Island abuzz over simultaneous eruptions at Mauna Loa and Kilauea Seismic activity and ground deformation beneath the East Rift Zone and Southwest Rift Zone remain low, the agency said. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 3 June 2024

As sound hits the sensor, the vibrations cause deformations in its beam, and the fluctuations in the voltage resistance are then translated into electrical signals. —IEEE Spectrum, 2 May 2024

Estimates of magma accumulation across the recent eruptions near Grindavík based on ground deformation data. —Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024

And below, the deformation of tracks at Oceanía Station. —Matt Simon, WIRED, 10 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1551, in the meaning defined at sense 3