noun

conformity

kuhn-FOR-muh-tee/kənˈfɔːrməti/

Compliance with rules, standards, or accepted ways of behaving.

The worker wears goggles in conformity with the posted safety requirement.

At a workshop entrance, an older woman puts on safety goggles beneath a clearly visible goggles-required sign; a younger man beside her already wears them.

Etymology

conLatintogether

+formLatinto shape

+ityLatinstate or quality

The shaping-together image became similarity in shape or manner. Conformity then extended that resemblance to conduct: behaving in a way that matches an accepted standard.

In context

Smarter While You Sleep166:00

social proof and conformity. When you suggest something that aligns with what others are doing or what is commonly accepted, it taps into a person's desire to fit in

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More examples

She resists the pressure for conformity in dress and opinion.
The tests check conformity with the stated specifications.
His behavior shows strict conformity to the group's customs.

Forms

conformity

Similar words

compliance: Compliance means obeying a requirement; conformity also includes matching a group’s behavior or standards.
uniformity: Uniformity means sameness; conformity means matching an expectation or pattern.