Meaning & use
transformation
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
A thorough change in form, appearance or character, so that something becomes very different.
Grammar: Countable for each instance: a transformation; uncountable for the process: undergo transformation.
Patterns
- the transformation of something
- a transformation from something into something
The old factory underwent a complete transformation into apartments.
Her transformation from shy student to confident leader surprised everyone.
The city's transformation took only ten years.
nouncountablemathematics
In mathematics, an operation that moves or changes a figure or expression, such as a rotation or reflection.
Grammar: Used in geometry and algebra: apply a transformation.
Patterns
- a transformation of something
A reflection is a transformation that flips a shape.
The students applied a transformation to the graph.
Rotating the triangle is a geometric transformation.
noununcountablebiologytechnical
In biology, the process by which a cell takes up and uses genetic material from its surroundings.
Grammar: Technical use in genetics.
Patterns
- transformation of something
Bacterial transformation lets cells absorb loose DNA.
The experiment relied on the transformation of bacteria.
Scientists studied transformation to understand how traits spread.
Word forms
| plural | transformations |
|---|
Common combinations
- undergo a transformation
- The town has undergone a remarkable transformation.
- complete transformation
- The makeover was a complete transformation.
- digital transformation
- The company is investing in digital transformation.
- radical transformation
- The economy faced a radical transformation.
- personal transformation
- The journey led to a deep personal transformation.
- social transformation
- The movement brought social transformation.
Synonyms and how they differ
- change
- A more general word that can be small, while transformation suggests a deep and obvious difference.
- metamorphosis
- A literary or biological word for a change of form, often natural and dramatic.
- conversion
- Means changing into a different use or belief, and suggests a defined switch rather than a gradual remaking.
- overhaul
- Describes a thorough repair or reorganization, with focus on improvement of an existing system.
Opposites
Word family
- transform verb
- to change completely
- transformative adjective
- causing a major change
- transformer noun
- a device that changes electrical voltage, or a person who transforms
- transformational adjective
- relating to major change
Commonly confused: transformation or transition?
transformation vs transition
A transition is the passage from one state to another, while a transformation is the deep change itself.
Practice
Which sentence uses transformation most naturally?
Choose one answer.
Transformation fits a deep change in something large. The others misuse it as a trivial change or use it as a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “transformation”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.