conform

[ kuhn-fawrm ]

verb (used without object)

1. to act according to or be obedient to a rule or norm (usually followed by to ):

   Every team must adopt and conform to league regulations.

   Synonyms: consent, agree, yield

   Antonyms: dissent

2. to be in harmony or accord (usually followed by with ):

   These results conform with those of similar studies done in the past.

3. to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of society or a group:

   One has to conform in order to succeed in this company.

4. to be or become similar in form, nature, or character (usually followed by to ):

   Memory conforms to what we think we remember.

   I love how these slippers conform to my feet.

   Synonyms: tally, agree, correspond

   Antonyms: differ

5. to comply with the usages of an established church, especially the Church of England.

   Antonyms: dissent

verb (used with object)

1. to bring into agreement, correspondence, or harmony (usually used with to ):

   We need to conform our corporate practice to the new guidelines.

   Despite efforts to conform the data sets perfectly, some discrepancies will persist.

   Synonyms: accommodate, adjust, adapt

2. to make similar in form, nature, or character (usually used with to ):

   Do not try to conform your partner to your ideal.

adjective

1. Archaic. conformable ( def 1 ).

conform

/ kənˈfɔːm /

verb

1. intrusually foll byto to comply in actions, behaviour, etc, with accepted standards or norms
2. intrusually foll bywith to be in accordance; fit in

   he conforms with my idea of a teacher

3. to make or become similar in character or form
4. intr to comply with the practices of an established church, esp the Church of England
5. tr to bring (oneself, ideas, etc) into harmony or agreement

Grammar Note

All senses of conform necessarily involve an underlying comparison of one thing or person to another. To introduce the second thing, there are two acceptable prepositions— to and with —each being more common with certain senses. When the sense has to do with one of the things being the standard or guide for the other, the most usual preposition is to: This wiring does not conform to the building code. The car seat conforms to your body. When the sense has to do with two things that independently happen to agree or match, with is more common: Your observations conform with my own experience. However, in each case, the other preposition is also correct. When the relationship between the two things is not clear, to tends to prevail: Fortunately, the weather conformed to our expectations.

Derived Forms

• conˈformer, noun
• conˈformingly, adverb

Other Words From

• con·form·er noun
• con·form·ing·ly adverb
• non·con·form·ing adjective
• pre·con·form verb
• qua·si-con·form·ing adjective
• re·con·form verb
• un·con·formed adjective
• un·con·form·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of conform¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English confo(u)rmen, from Anglo-French, Middle French conformer, from Latin conformāre “to shape, describe, make to agree,” from con- con- + formāre “to shape, fashion” (from forma form )

Word History and Origins

Origin of conform¹

C14: from Old French conformer, from Latin confirmāre to establish, strengthen, from firmāre to make firm, from firmus firm ¹

Example Sentences

This pack’s genius is in the ultralight molded back panels, which have cushy pads and shoulder straps that conform to men and women from five foot four to six foot two.

From Outside Online

Today, we further that discussion with a look at how the news media is incentivized to amplify conflict and conform to extreme ideologies, where fringe groups are emerging globally and how people can keep the fringes from winning hearts and minds.

From Ozy

The Governor’s office is bound by and conforms to those laws.

From ProPublica

Whether Abloh’s approach to design conforms to Kamprad’s democratic vision is hard to say.

From Fortune

Maynard conforms to the stereotype of the absent-minded professor in this and a handful of other ways.

From Quanta Magazine

Certainly some people simply cannot stand to live alongside someone who does not conform to their views.

From The Daily Beast

On his present trajectory, Putin shows no signs that he will conform to international legal and moral norms.

From The Daily Beast

But the fun of reading Lennon is in his outright refusal to conform to expectations.

From The Daily Beast

The book also refuses to conform to conventional novelistic style.

From The Daily Beast

But an absence of niceties nor an unwillingness to conform is not a legitimate cause for impeachment.

From The Daily Beast

A title was added to the first page of this text to conform to the rest of the books in this series.

From Project Gutenberg

He must conform to the habits of the community, and not unreasonably disturb his neighbors, during ordinary working hours.

From Project Gutenberg

It is often easier as well as more advantageous to conform ourselves to other mens opinions than to bring them over to ours.

From Project Gutenberg

And whosoever would not conform themselves to the ways of the Gentiles, should be put to death: then was misery to be seen.

From Project Gutenberg

Religion but too often forms licentious, immoral tyrants, obeyed by slaves who are obliged to conform to their views.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accommodate
• attune
• comply
• coordinate
• fit
• harmonize
• integrate
• reconcile
• tailor
• yield