conform

American  

[kuhn-fawrm] / kənˈfɔrm /

verb (used without object)

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

   Every team must adopt and conform to league regulations.

   Synonyms:

   consent, agree, yield

   Antonyms:

   dissent

2. to be in harmony or accord (usually followed bywith ).

   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 byto ).

   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 withto ).

   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 withto ).

   Do not try to conform your partner to your ideal.

adjective

1. Archaic. conformable.

conform British  

/ kənˈfɔːm /

verb

1. to comply in actions, behaviour, etc, with accepted standards or norms

2. 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

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.

Other Word Forms

• conformer noun
• conformingly adverb
• nonconforming adjective
• preconform verb
• quasi-conforming adjective
• reconform verb
• unconformed adjective
• unconforming adjective

Etymology

Origin of conform

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 )

Explanation

To conform means to adapt to fit in with new conditions. So if you travel to Morocco, you should conform to the local custom and adjust your usual wardrobe to one that is more modest. Sometimes conform gets a bad rap, carrying with it the sense of compromising one’s individuality to fit in or please others. But take note that it doesn’t always have to carry such a negative charge. For example, the manager of a factory that produces bouncy balls would want each ball that came off his conveyor belts to conform to a high standard of durability, bounciness, and roundness.

Example Sentences

Colletti: The irony is, I wanted to do the show to no longer conform to the trends of high school.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

Likewise, the eternal question of whether two harmless individuals can travel where they want and refuse to conform.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

"As telescopes and detection methods become more precise, we are strengthening our ability to find planetary systems that don't resemble our own and that don't conform to longstanding theories," he says.

From Science Daily • Feb. 14, 2026

Such forces will remain in place and be turned against anyone who does not submit and conform.

From Salon • Feb. 8, 2026

She was taking two sides at once, to please everyone; she always chose peace over truth, was always eager to conform.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

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