1
2
3
4

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 The agenda for the meeting conforms to what lawyers have said is required by law. Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Jan. 2025 That could be because their state tax code doesn’t conform to the federal one or hasn’t been updated to reflect the American Rescue Plan. Annie Nova, CNBC, 12 Jan. 2025 The current peer review model often favors researchers affiliated with prestigious institutions and those who conform to established norms or work in trendy fields. Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 25 Dec. 2024 For example, a partner feeling pressured to conform to rigid roles (such as being the sole provider or primary caretaker) might experience frustration or resentment that spills over into the relationship. Mark Travers, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for conform 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conform
Verb
  • The pattern uncovered by the team corresponds with models that suggest black holes grow through repeat collisions in densely packed star clusters.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Advertisement World & Nation ‘TikTok refugees’ unexpectedly turn to Chinese alternative as ban looms Jan. 14, 2025 Police said Brainard’s Tinder account was used to correspond with the man.
    Kathy McCormack and Patrick Whittle, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Higher education is also evolving, with institutions such as Georgia Tech and Carnegie Mellon embedding AI into their curricula and offering personalized learning experiences that blend technical skills with interpersonal development.
    Dr. Aviva Legatt, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
  • The Age of Adaline is a timeless tale that blends love, science and fate.
    Jordana Comiter, People.com, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • That seemingly leaves a vulnerability that any Trump deal allowing ByteDance to maintain control of the algorithm would likely have to reconcile.
    Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 27 Jan. 2025
  • This story comes about from a very basic human thing, which is loving one’s home and feeling good there, and then being forced to reconcile with that home being fragile and occasionally being taken from us.
    Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • More than 30 years after illustrating Norton Juster's cult kids' book, Feiffer returned to the genre as an author, with books like 1993's The Man in the Ceiling (eventually adapted into a musical with Tony Award-winning producer Jeffrey Seller) and his 2010 re-teaming with Juster, The Odious Ogre.
    Etelka Lehoczky, NPR, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Recently, Annapurna signed a deal that will see the company adapt the games Control and Alan Wake for the screen.
    Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • In an attempt to rewrite history, Dawn Richard has now manufactured a series of false claims all in the hopes of trying to get a pay day — conveniently timed to coincide with her album release and press tour.
    Rachel McRady, People.com, 27 Jan. 2025
  • Israeli officials claim most of the 26 remaining hostages are alive, which coincides with the list Hamas provided.
    Greg Wehner, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The survey also found that support for Christian nationalism positively correlated with more extreme views on immigration.
    Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2025
  • However, the researchers note that these findings do not necessarily mean that vaccination of poultry directly resulted in a faster rate of viral evolution, only that they were correlated.
    Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The Knicks also adjusted their offense to mitigate Daniels’ relentless full-court pressure.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 21 Jan. 2025
  • So how can Johnson adjust his coaching to have success with Williams? 5.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • Since joining the team, Finney-Smith has led the group in plus-minus, fitting in well around James and Davis as a seasoned role player with deep playoff experience.
    Jovan Buha, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Take this example: a Microsoft team is just now figuring out how to use a diffusion model to find new materials that can fit the bill for high-tech projects.
    John Werner, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near conform

Cite this Entry

“Conform.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conform. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on conform

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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