reformed
Americanadjective
-
amended by removal of faults, abuses, etc.
-
improved in conduct, morals, etc.
-
(initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to Protestant churches, especially Calvinist as distinguished from Lutheran.
adjective
-
of or designating a Protestant Church, esp the Calvinist as distinct from the Lutheran
-
of or designating Reform Judaism
Other Word Forms
- pseudoreformed adjective
- quasi-reformed adjective
- reformedly adverb
- unreformed adjective
Etymology
Origin of reformed
Explanation
Someone who's reformed is changed in a positive way. A reformed bully has stopped shoving smaller kids around and makes a point of treating everyone kindly. A reformed prison system would be one that has eliminated controversial punishments like solitary confinement, and a reformed group of military rebels might form a peaceful political party. Sometimes you'll see this adjective in a religious context — for example, Calvinism is known as "Reformed Christianity," a reference to the Protestant Reformation. The Latin root, reformare, means "change."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Dad rocker Phil Collins and reformed Britpop princes Oasis led the 2026 class of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees who were announced on live US television on Monday.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
Steyer, who has a net worth of $2.4 billion according to Forbes, has painted himself as a reformed billionaire who walked away from Farallon because of angst about how he earned his fortune.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026
It’s time to respond with resolve by restoring the capacity of a reformed United Nations to act, so that it no longer remains a mere spectator to events that affect us all.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
Tom Bradshaw, president of the NFU, said the reformed SFI scheme appeared "to strike the right balance between simplifying the process and maintaining flexibility".
From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026
He added, “P.S. I notice that Polly has not reformed one bit. That parrot makes me blush.”
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
