amorphous

10 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.

vague

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

shapeless formless unstructured nebulous uncrystallised uncrystallized ill-defined inchoate indeterminate

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adjective

Having no clear shape or outline.

“An amorphous grey mass slid out of the tin.”

shapeless formless unstructured nebulous uncrystallised uncrystallized

Opposites

defined shaped structured

2. adjective

Lacking clear organisation, definition or identity.

“The committee was an amorphous group with no real remit.”

vague ill-defined inchoate indeterminate

Opposites

well-defined clear-cut organised

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

crystalline

How to use amorphous

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

amorphous mass amorphous shape amorphous solid amorphous blob

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.

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defined shaped vague structured crystalline inchoate nebulous indeterminate shapeless formless

Nearby words

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