amorphous
8 synonyms and 7 antonyms for amorphous, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Having no clear shape or outline.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adjective
Having no clear shape or outline.
“An amorphous grey mass slid out of the tin.”
Opposites
2. adjective
Lacking clear organisation, definition or identity.
“The committee was an amorphous group with no real remit.”
Opposites
3. adjective technical
In science, describing a solid whose atoms are not arranged in a regular crystal lattice.
“Glass is an amorphous solid rather than a crystal.”
Opposites
How to use amorphous
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Formal in general use, and a precise technical term in chemistry and materials science.
Etymology
From Greek a- 'without' and morphē 'form'.
Full origin of amorphous →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between amorphous and shapeless?
Shapeless is the plain everyday word and usually describes physical things, often unflatteringly, such as a shapeless coat. Amorphous is more formal, works equally well for ideas and organisations, and is the standard scientific term for non-crystalline solids.
What is the difference between amorphous and crystalline?
In materials science, a crystalline solid has its atoms arranged in a repeating, ordered lattice, while an amorphous solid has no such long-range order. Glass is amorphous; quartz, made of the same chemical building blocks, is crystalline.
Is amorphous a negative word?
It is neutral in science but often mildly critical elsewhere. Calling a plan or a group amorphous suggests it lacks the definition it ought to have.