Deformed
/dɪˈfɔːrmd/
Definitions
Having an altered or distorted shape or structure; misshapen.
/dɪˈfɔːrmd/
Having an altered or distorted shape or structure.
The earthquake left the buildings in a deformed state.
💡 Simply: Imagine a toy that's been squished or bent in a way it's not supposed to be. That's deformed! Like a funny-looking balloon animal.
👶 For kids: When something is shaped wrong or is not its regular shape.
More Examples
He was born with a deformed hand, but he still learned to play the piano.
The intense heat caused the plastic to become deformed.
How It's Used
"The accident left him with a deformed leg."
"The artist deliberately created a deformed sculpture to evoke emotion."
From Middle English *deformed*, from Old French *desformer* ('to disfigure'), from *des-* (dis-) + *former* ('to shape').
Historically used in medical and artistic contexts to describe alterations in form, as well as in moral or societal terms to denote a corruption of character.
Memory tip
Think of a poorly formed clay pot that wasn't fired correctly.