Definition of conformnext
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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb conform contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of conform are accommodate, adapt, adjust, and reconcile. While all these words mean "to bring one thing into correspondence with another," conform applies to bringing into accordance with a pattern, example, or principle.

refused to conform to society's values

Where would accommodate be a reasonable alternative to conform?

The words accommodate and conform can be used in similar contexts, but accommodate may suggest yielding or compromising to effect a correspondence.

accommodated his political beliefs in order to win

When could adapt be used to replace conform?

The meanings of adapt and conform largely overlap; however, adapt implies a modification according to changing circumstances.

adapted themselves to the warmer climate

When would adjust be a good substitute for conform?

In some situations, the words adjust and conform are roughly equivalent. However, adjust suggests bringing into a close and exact correspondence or harmony such as exists between parts of a mechanism.

adjusted the budget to allow for inflation

When might reconcile be a better fit than conform?

The synonyms reconcile and conform are sometimes interchangeable, but reconcile implies the demonstration of the underlying compatibility of things that seem to be incompatible.

tried to reconcile what he said with what I knew

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 conform Generations into a belief that morphed into a movement, nearly a decade since the start of the bid process and four years of methodically conforming to FIFA standards later, the epicenter of Kansas City’s monumental opportunity to play 2026 World Cup host was unveiled on Monday. Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026 Large beige curtains can add a delicate formality and coziness to your living room while still conforming to your style. Macie Stump, Southern Living, 10 May 2026 Also in the fall 2023 semester, Texas A&M University shut down its DEI offices and revised its hiring policies to conform with the law. Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 7 May 2026 Those who don’t conform deserve punishment to show the public that unethical behavior is not tolerated. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for conform
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conform
Verb
  • To the extent that interest rates move without a corresponding change in inflation expectations, TIPS holders remain exposed to that duration, or interest rate, risk.
    Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
  • Much more rarely — in fact, corresponding exactly to the release rate of movies by visionary German director Valeska Grisebach — the brilliance goes bone-deep, emerging from an astonishingly new and strange filmic architecture.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • The rooms Each of the 56 rooms is unique, blending the building’s industrial past with modern finishes and bright colors.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2026
  • As executive chef of The Guest House, Miller blends classic flavors with regional influence, and recently opened the newest location of the restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona, after first bringing the menu to Las Vegas, New York City and Austin, Texas.
    Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 26 May 2026
Verb
  • Rejane Faria brought a powerful sense of truth to this character, delicately balancing all the nuances of a woman carrying an unbearable grief, yet still searching for a way to keep going and reconcile with herself.
    Marcelo Cajueiro, Variety, 28 May 2026
  • These are the recurring five-minute routines that go unmeasured, like reconciling spreadsheets, checking policy documents or reformatting reports.
    Ameya Kanitkar, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • During live exercises, pilots are challenged by Draken's Phantom Sky range control system, which creates simulated air defenses that respond, adapt, and react to pilot inputs in real time.
    David Szondy May 24, New Atlas, 24 May 2026
  • Organizations are constantly adapting to social and economic change, which means the skills needed inside them also need to keep shifting over time.
    Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 24 May 2026
Verb
  • The second Eid holiday – Eid al-Adha – falls during the 12th month of the Islamic calendar and coincides with the end of the sacred Hajj pilgrimage season.
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 26 May 2026
  • Full moons that coincide with apogee are known as micromoons — the opposite of a supermoon — and appear about 12-14% smaller and dimmer than average.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Verb
  • In manufacturing, the most valuable insights emerge from correlating data across multiple process steps and equipment types.
    Joel Scutchfield, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
  • The slides outlined that better use of hospice was correlated with lower mortality ratios at the Brigham.
    Jessica Bartlett — Boston Globe, STAT, 21 May 2026
Verb
  • The supply and demand parameters have to be adjusted to a conscious mean.
    Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
  • Immediately, some Southern states adjusted their primaries to give them time to change voting districts.
    Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026
Verb
  • Among other big men, Myles Turner, Nicolas Claxton, Onyeka Okongwu, Isaiah Stewart, and Daniel Gafford would all fit within that TPE.
    Jay King, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • Show how your offering fits into a more intentional, circular mindset and earns its place.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Conform.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conform. Accessed 30 May. 2026.

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