deformed 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈfȯrmd How to pronounce deformed (audio)
Definition of deformednext
as in distorted
badly or imperfectly formed his first sculpture looked more like a deformed rabbit than a galloping horse

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deformed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of deform
as in tortured
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

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 deformed
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
Verb
By watching and analyzing how the soft fingers deformed, the AI could tell the difference between touching sand and touching the pen, estimate the pen’s location, and guide the gripper to lift it out. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 20 July 2026 Some cells were mechanically deformed to simulate incidents such as minor parking impacts. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for deformed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deformed
  1. distorted
  2. tortured
  3. monstrous
  4. contorted
  5. curled
  6. screwed
Adjective
  • Co-produced by John Congleton, the record swaps synth-pop for gutter-punk, with distorted guitars and clattering surf riffs as its weapons of choice.
    — Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Obviously, a child who recently suffered a serious head trauma is far from a reliable narrator, and in the premiere, Paley leans into the subjectivity with distorted sound and imagery.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of distorted
Verb
  • His underlings kidnapped and tortured a dealer who refused to pay, the indictment said.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The organization advocating on his behalf said Gilman had been tortured in Russian detention.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of tortured
Adjective
  • Aircraft known as hurricane hunters had for three days kept constant watch over what had become a monstrous cyclone, centered near the Bahamas somewhere east of my home in West Palm Beach.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Henry Gainza’s choreography (Gainza also plays the Bishop of Basingstoke) is sometimes flowing, other times monstrous, reflecting the extremes of the story itself.
    — Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of monstrous
Verb
  • Halfway through my hands and feet went numb, then felt like fire, and then contorted into strange positions like lobster claws.
    — Kate Berlant, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Alongside it was Anna Uddenberg’s 2026 sculpture White Noise (Soft Skills), featuring a life-size, faceless mannequin whose body is contorted by a futuristic interpretation of ergonomic office-style furniture contraptions.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of contorted
Verb
  • The top layers were pulled back and away from her face, then pinned behind her ears to show off major diamond earrings, and the lengths were loosely curled.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Ten seconds into the game, Gray curled off the right wing and took a pass from teammate Jordin Canada at the top of the key.
    — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of curled
Verb
  • Some Cleveland Guardians fans got screwed by the rain in more ways than one on Friday night.
    — Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Permanent flood barriers are anything that gets screwed into the wall or permanently attached to a structure.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of screwed

Browse Nearby Words

deformations
deformed
deforming
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deformed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deformed. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All