What does conformity mean?
Word: Conformity
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Conformity means behaving in the same way as most other people, or following the rules and customs that a group expects.
Synonyms: compliance, obedience, adherence
Antonyms: nonconformity, rebellion, individuality
How do you spell conformity?
Syllables: con - form - i - ty
Tricky part: The first syllable is con, with an n. Comfort and comfy begin with the same sound but use m, which is why comformity is such a common slip.
Watch out for: comformity, conformitty, connformity
Memory tip: Conformity is about going along with others, so start it the way connect starts, with con, and not the way comfort does.
Idioms and Phrases
- in conformity with: in agreement with a rule, law or standard. Example: "The new hospital wing was built in conformity with the earthquake safety code."
Conformity in a sentence
Example 1: Wearing the same uniform is a simple form of conformity in most schools.
Example 2: Arjun's painting broke away from conformity with its wild purple sky.
Example 3: Some teenagers feel strong pressure towards conformity with their friends' choices.
Fun Fact
In the 1950s the psychologist Solomon Asch studied conformity by asking people to match the lengths of lines. When the rest of the group gave a clearly wrong answer, about three in four people went along with the group at least once.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Only one of these words takes the suffix -ity to form a real noun. Choose it:
ity
a) inform
b) transform
c) conform
d) perform
Show answer
c) conform. Perform gives performance, inform gives information and transform gives transformation; only conform becomes a noun with -ity.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word conformity as used in the sentence:
The headmaster praised the students' conformity to the new rules about mobile phones.
a) agreement
b) acceptance
c) submission
d) defiance
Show answer
d) defiance. Submission, acceptance and agreement all mean going along with the rules; defiance means openly refusing them.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. conformity 2. obedience 3. concensus 4. tradition
a) willingness to do as you are told
b) fitting in with what a group expects
c) general agreement within a group
d) a custom handed down over many years
Show answer
c) general agreement within a group. Consensus shares its root with consent, so its middle is sens with an s, not cens.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Our art teacher prizes fresh ideas over ytmcroonif in our drawings.
a) conformity
b) formality
c) confirmation
d) uniformity
Show answer
a) conformity. Uniformity has a u, while confirmation and formality both need an a, so only conformity fits these ten letters.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A student who shows conformity in class is most likely to ____.
a) fit in with what the class does
b) sit apart and work on something else
c) invent a new game during the lesson
d) question every rule the teacher sets
Show answer
a) fit in with what the class does
2. Someone who resists conformity and goes their own way is often called ____.
a) a free spirit
b) a team player
c) a good listener
d) a fast learner
Show answer
a) a free spirit
