DEFORM Synonyms: 22 Similar and Opposite Words

deform

verb

di-ˈfȯrm

as in to distort

to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition a cynic whose face seems to be permanently deformed by a sneer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the verb deform contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of deform are contort, distort, and warp. While all these words mean "to mar or spoil by or as if by twisting," deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth.

a face deformed by hatred

How are the words distort and contort related as synonyms of deform?

Distort and contort both imply a wrenching from the natural or normal, but contort suggests a more involved twisting and a more grotesque and painful result.

the odd camera angle distorts the figure

disease had contorted her body

When can warp be used instead of deform?

In some situations, the words warp and deform are roughly equivalent. However, warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane.

warped floorboards

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 deform In the past few years, the nation’s collective memory—never the strongest—has been relentlessly deformed by right-wing propaganda. —

Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025 Smaller implants are also lighter, more comfortable, and less apt to stretch, strain, and deform the tissues over time. —

Jolene Edgar, Allure, 15 Oct. 2025 The Sun’s magnetic field lines can be very twisted, and the solar wind and coronal mass ejections deform and drag them outward from the Sun. —

Samuel Badman, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2025 Both of the Yunxian skulls were deformed from millennia spent underground, but the second, known as Yunxian 2, was better preserved. —

Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deform

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deform

Verb

During cross-examination, the defense tried to cast doubt on the reliability of Flores’ testimony, suggesting that the trauma might have distorted her memories of the shooting.

— Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2026
The distorting design of the Senate and the Electoral College, the filibuster’s persistence, and centralized leadership have all contributed to legislative ossification.

— Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026