misshapen

adjective

mis·​shap·​en ˌmis-ˈshā-pən 

1

: having an ugly or deformed shape

It is, in fact, a homely and misshapen little gray airplane that looks like it was cobbled together in someone's garage.

—Patricia Trenner

2

: morally or intellectually deformed or distorted

misshapen ideas of justice

misshapenly adverb

She has brought Trot, her mangy mongrel, with her. He lies misshapenly across her vast lap …

—John le Carré

misshapenness noun

… masterpieces of dullness, misshapenness, and folly …

—Louis Simpson

Synonyms

• deformed
• distorted
• malformed
• monstrous
• shapeless

Examples of misshapen in a Sentence

the returning camper proudly presented his mother with a misshapen clay bowl that he had made in crafts class

Recent Examples on the Web

Sickle cell is a blood disorder in which a person’s red blood cells become misshapen into crescent moons. —Bertha Coombs, CNBC, 18 Feb. 2025

Some of the wheels of Swiss cheese made in his factory in Pennsylvania inevitably broke or were misshapen, leaving a plethora of bits and blocks of cheese that Weisl was desperate to salvage. —David Levine, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Dec. 2024

This can not only make items look misshapen but also affect their ability to keep you warm. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Feb. 2025

The welfare state Trump seeks to reform is a misshapen layer cake of liberal ambitions. —Matthew Continetti, National Review, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for misshapen

• shapen

Kids Definition

misshapen

adjective

mis·​shap·​en

(ˈ)mis-ˈshā-pən,

(ˈ)mish-

: badly shaped : having an ugly shape