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malformed

malformed

3 5.8
A body part or object with a shape that is not normal
  • adjective
  • /mælˈfɔrmd/
translation icon : malformado
  • Actually, Matthew had a cluster of malformed veins in the occipital lobe of his brain, but they did not know about it until much later.
  • malformed ear
  • small and malformed

Everybody is replaceable and that is related to their malformed sense of self, not yours.

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Examples

  • I still remember your first piece... you came out of class carrying this... lumpy, malformed deflated volleyball thing.

  • Nevertheless, it is not necessary for the surgeon to approach a congenitally malformed ear with the fear that "You never know where the facial nerve is going to be."

    Academic text (2003)
  • Microtia describes a congenitally small and malformed external ear.

    Academic text (2014)
  • The malformed face stares dumbly back at him as he fights to shape the nose.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • When one of Hutchinson's followers delivered a stillborn and malformed child, the rumor quickly spread that there was witchcraft involved.

    Academic text (1992)
  • The Medicare statute contains a general coverage prescription that items or services which "are not reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of illness or injury or to improve the functioning of a malformed body member" are not covered.

    Academic text (2018)
  • After creating an ear canal and removing the atresia plate, the surgeon identified the moderately malformed ossicles.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The mutations are associated with a syndrome involving eye malformations (optic nerve colobomas), VUR, and small, malformed kidneys.

    Academic text (2000)
  • The doctor explained that the baby was born with a malformed heart, requiring immediate surgery.

  • The sculpture was considered remarkable despite its malformed structure, showing the artist's unique vision.

Synonyms

misshapen
vsmalformed
14 4.7

Not the normal shape and often looking ugly

is any abnormal or incorrect shape without focusing on ugliness
ill-shapen
vsmalformed
  • Literature
8.5

Not in a regular or attractive form

is a general abnormal shape and not always visibly ugly
deformed
vsmalformed
4.6

Having a shape that is not normal and often looking ugly

is a less strong term for any incorrectly formed shape
distorted
vsmalformed
4.4

Twisted out of shape so it looks ugly or unnatural

is a more neutral term for any incorrect or abnormal shape

Antonyms

well-formed
  • Specialized
3 4.4

Correct according to grammar and normal language use

How Deformed

deformed
4.6
malformed
3 5.8
irregular
14 3.4

Surface Forms

malformed positive

Morphology

malformed = formed (transparent) = mal + form + ed

The negative prefix 'mal-' combined with 'formed' yields the straightforward meaning 'badly formed', which learners can derive.

Etymology

The word malformed combines the prefix mal- meaning 'bad' and form meaning 'shape' or 'to make', and you see mal- in familiar words like malfunction or malnutrition. So malformed literally means 'badly shaped', which is why we use it for something that is not formed correctly.