formless

/ˈfɔːmləs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɔːrmləs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfȯrm-ləs/ (ame, mw)

formless — adjective

  • formlesspositive
  • more formlesscomparative
  • most formlesssuperlative

1. describing something that does not have a clear, fixed, or regular shape; often

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describing something that does not have a clear, fixed, or regular shape; often used for objects, marks, or groups of things that are messy, unclear, or not well organized.

例句

The clay sat on the wheel as a formless lump before the potter shaped it.

formless lump — object without clear shape

Her early notes for the novel were a formless collection of ideas without any clear plot.

同義詞
  • shapeless

    more common everyday word for something lacking a clear outer form, e.g. a shapeless old coat

  • amorphous

    more formal or technical; suggests something has no recognizable structure at all, e.g. an amorphous mass

  • vague

    used for ideas or plans rather than physical objects; means unclear rather than literally without shape

反義詞
  • shaped

    having a clear, definite form

  • structured

    organized with a clear arrangement of parts

常見錯誤

❌The water is formless.
✅The water has no fixed shape.
💡liquids naturally take the shape of their container, so calling them 'formless' is technically true but unusual; the word is more natural for solids or groups of things that lack expected structure.

2. existing only as an idea, energy, or spirit, without having a physical body or m

2.形容詞C1
釋義

existing only as an idea, energy, or spirit, without having a physical body or material substance that can be seen or touched.

例句

Time is formless; you cannot hold it, yet it shapes every moment of your life.

formless concept — abstract idea with no physical shape

Ancient philosophers imagined the universe began as a formless void before anything took shape.

同義詞
  • intangible

    cannot be touched; slightly more formal; often used for rights, assets, or qualities (intangible cultural heritage)

  • incorporeal

    very formal; describes something without a body, especially in religious or legal contexts

  • abstract

    broader term; refers to ideas or concepts rather than physical things

反義詞
  • physical

    having a material body or substance that can be seen and touched

  • concrete

    existing as a real, solid object rather than an idea

用法筆記

Subject is usually an abstract noun (time, energy, spirit, void, presence). This sense is common in philosophical, religious, and literary writing rather than everyday conversation.

常見錯誤

❌The shadow on the wall was formless.
✅The shadow on the wall had no clear shape.
💡a shadow is already non-physical; this sense refers to things that have NO physical form at all, not merely things that are hard to see clearly.