as in distortion
the twisting of something out of its natural or normal shape or condition
the catastrophic deformation of the steel girders under the enormous weight of the bridge
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Recent Examples of deformation
Because of the slope’s slow-moving collapse, scientists can study the landslide’s historical rates of deformation and see how those changes relate to the retreat of the Barry Arm glacier.
—
Darren Orf, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2025
If the volcano doesn’t erupt at all, gas emissions, earthquakes, and ground deformations would slowly decline, disappearing over a few weeks or months without ever escalating into an explosion.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Mar. 2025
In addition to these elevated gas emissions, the volcanologists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory have also recorded escalations in earthquakes and ground deformations, with over 100 earthquakes having occurred at Mount Spurr each week for at least the last month.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Mar. 2025
As for timing, the signs suggest that the eruption would be sometime soon, with additional elevations in gas emissions, earthquakes, and ground deformations occurring in the lead-up to the blast.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deformation
Darren Orf, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2025
If the volcano doesn’t erupt at all, gas emissions, earthquakes, and ground deformations would slowly decline, disappearing over a few weeks or months without ever escalating into an explosion.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Mar. 2025
In addition to these elevated gas emissions, the volcanologists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory have also recorded escalations in earthquakes and ground deformations, with over 100 earthquakes having occurred at Mount Spurr each week for at least the last month.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Mar. 2025
As for timing, the signs suggest that the eruption would be sometime soon, with additional elevations in gas emissions, earthquakes, and ground deformations occurring in the lead-up to the blast.
—Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deformation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deformation
Noun
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The second historical distortion involves changes in U.S. trade policies.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
25 May 2025
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The music signal is monitored in real time to reduce the possibility of distortion.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
Noun
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However, the council continued to deny any connection between the waste removal and the limb deformities, according to The Guardian.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
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The article had uncovered four instances of limb deformities, and 19 families ended up signing onto the class action suit.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
TIME,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deformation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deformation. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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