malformed
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of malformed
First recorded in 1810–20; mal- + formed ( def. )
Explanation
Something malformed has a shape that's twisted or warped, or otherwise distorted. Your first try at making pottery might result in a couple of malformed bowls. If you leave a doll in the hot sunlight for hours, she may melt and become malformed. Sometimes parts of the body are malformed because of birth defects or accidents. If you're born with a malformed spine, you may wear a brace to straighten it out. If your feet are malformed, your choice of shoes will be limited. Malformed combines the prefix mal-, "badly or wrongly," with formed, from the Latin forma, "shape or appearance."
Vocabulary lists containing malformed
Shape Up: Form
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: mal
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: form
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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.
As he moves deeper and finds scattered, malformed remnants of his past inside the chartreuse oblivion, Clark makes a Faustian pact with whatever entities are inside the Backrooms.
From Salon • May 30, 2026
Eurex, part of Germany’s Deutsche Börse, said it enforces its rules and has tools to detect malformed data.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 16, 2025
A scan showed two tumour-like shapes inside her abdomen, which were actually the malformed foetuses.
From BBC • Sep. 4, 2025
It’s not fluent, it’s broken, the sounds are malformed, if you like.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2024
Tommie’s first attempt at a dress for home economics lay before them on the table, a malformed monstrosity.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
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.
