Definition

Having an unusual or ugly shape; not properly formed or distorted.

Example

The sculpture was beautiful, but the misshapen piece of clay next to it looked odd.

Conversation

Have you seen that sculpture in the park?

Yeah, I did! It's quite misshapen, isn't it?

I thought it was supposed to be abstract art or something.

Maybe, but it just looks weird to me.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Misshapen → It is formed from "mis-" (meaning wrongly or badly) and "shapen" (from Old English "sceapen", meaning to shape or form). The word "misshapen" means wrongly shaped or deformed.

Memory Tip

Think of something that is shaped 'wrongly' ('mis-') — that's why misshapen refers to something that is not formed correctly.

Visually Confused Words