conformity
gb/kənfˈɔɹməti/ us/kənfˈɔɹməti/
C1
English
~ 8500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
C1
state
1
following social norms and expectations
The state of acting like other people in a group and following social rules or customs.
Usage pattern:
conformity to [social norms/expectations]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "conformity" with "confirmation". "Conformity" is about being similar to others or following rules and norms; "confirmation" is about showing that something is true. Learners may also overuse "with"; for social norms, both "conformity to social norms" and "conformity with social norms" occur, but "to" is more common in this sense.
Synonyms
conventionality (Stresses following traditional, socially accepted ways; often slightly negative or critical.)
|
obedience (Focuses more on doing what an authority says, not necessarily matching group behavior.)
|
compliance (More neutral and broad; can refer to following any rule, not only social norms.)
Antonyms
individuality (Emphasizes being different from others and expressing personal uniqueness instead of matching the group.)
|
nonconformity (Directly describes refusing or failing to follow social norms or group expectations.)
|
rebellion (Goes beyond simple nonconformity to active resistance against norms or authority.)
Collocations
social conformity
|pressure for conformity
|pressure to conform to norms
|conformity to social expectations
|conformity to gender roles
|enforce conformity
Themes
society
|psychology
|culture
|relationships
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The school culture strongly encourages conformity and discourages students from standing out.
- He felt trapped by the silent demand for conformity in his small hometown.
- The study examined how social media affects teenagers' conformity to peer expectations.
- Her refusal to dye her hair the same color as her friends was a quiet rejection of conformity.
- In some workplaces, there is subtle conformity to an unspoken dress code.
Learner examples
- There is a lot of conformity in his office, so everyone dresses the same.
- Peer pressure can lead to conformity among teenagers.
- She dislikes conformity and wants to live in her own way.
- Conformity to social rules can make people feel safe.
- The group expected conformity from all new members.
Noun
formal
C1
state
2
compliance with rules or standards
The state of following a law, rule, or standard exactly as required.
Usage pattern:
conformity with [law/rule/standard]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"conformity of the law"* when they mean following the law. Use "conformity with the law" or "in conformity with the law". Also, do not confuse the noun "conformity" with the verb "to conform"; say "the machine is in conformity with the standard", not *"the machine conformity the standard"*.
Synonyms
compliance (The most common term in business and legal contexts; slightly broader but is often interchangeable in this sense.)
|
observance (More formal and often used with laws or religious rules; stresses careful following.)
Antonyms
violation (Emphasizes that a law or rule has been broken, not followed.)
|
noncompliance (Formal opposite used especially in legal and business writing to describe failure to follow rules or standards.)
Collocations
in conformity with regulations
|in conformity with the law
|conformity with safety standards
|conformity with company policy
|ensure conformity with requirements
|check for conformity with specifications
Themes
law
|business
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The new factory must operate in conformity with environmental regulations.
- Regular audits are carried out to ensure conformity with safety standards.
- The product was rejected because it was not in conformity with the agreed specifications.
- All building work has to be done in conformity with the local planning laws.
- The report confirms the bank's conformity with international reporting requirements.
Learner examples
- The company checks conformity with health rules every year.
- All toys must be in conformity with EU safety standards.
- The hotel is in conformity with local fire laws.
- The engineer tests the machine for conformity with the design.
- They changed the plan to keep it in conformity with the law.
Noun
formal
C2
relation
3
similarity or correspondence between things
How closely one thing is the same as another thing in form or result.
Usage pattern:
conformity between [thing A] and [thing B]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this sense instead of more common words like "similarity" or "match" in everyday speech. This sense of "conformity" is mainly used in formal or technical writing.
Synonyms
correspondence (Very close in meaning; stresses a direct match or agreement between two things.)
|
consistency (Focuses on things not contradicting each other rather than on visual or structural similarity.)
Antonyms
discrepancy (Highlights a noticeable difference where similarity or agreement was expected.)
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mismatch (Informal term for things that do not fit or agree with each other.)
Collocations
conformity between theory and data
|conformity between plan and result
|close conformity between X and Y
|lack of conformity between reports
|conformity between policy and practice
Themes
science
|analysis
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- There is remarkable conformity between the simulation and the experimental results.
- The auditor found poor conformity between the financial reports and the actual figures.
- The architect checked the building site for conformity between the drawings and the completed work.
- We need greater conformity between our stated values and our daily practices.
- The study showed only partial conformity between the two sets of data.
Learner examples
- There is good conformity between the plan and the final product.
- The teacher looks for conformity between your answer and the model answer.
- The test showed little conformity between the two groups.
- Scientists want conformity between their theory and the data.
- We found no conformity between his story and the video.
Grammar
Dictionary form
conformity
IPA
GB/kənfˈɔɹməti/
US/kənfˈɔɹməti/
Syllables & stress
con - form - ity (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (form)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: conformity
- Plural: conformities, conformity
Word family
Forms
conformities
noun
Core family
conform
verb B2
conformist
noun
Negative and opposite forms
nonconformity
noun
nonconformist
noun
Advanced or less common
conformance
noun
conformism
noun
Expressions
in conformity with
1/ˈɪn kənfˈɔɹməti wˈɪθ/
fixed phrase
formal
in agreement with rules or standards
Following and matching a rule, law, or standard that is given.
Examples
- All procedures must be carried out in conformity with international safety regulations.
- The contract was written in conformity with local labor laws.
- We updated the software in conformity with the new industry standards.