distort

verb

dis·​tort di-ˈstȯrt 

distorted; distorting; distorts

transitive verb

1

: to twist (see twist entry 1 sense 3b) out of the true meaning or proportion : to alter to give a false or unnatural picture or account

distorted the facts

2

: to twist out of a natural, normal, or original shape or condition

a face distorted by pain

also : to cause to be perceived unnaturally

the new lights distorted colors

The singer's voice was electronically distorted.

3

: pervert

distort justice

intransitive verb

: to become distorted

Heat caused the wax figures to distort.

also : to cause a twisting from the true, natural, or normal

distorter noun

Synonyms

• misrepresent

Choose the Right Synonym for distort

deform, distort, contort, warp means to mar or spoil by or as if by twisting.

deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth.

a face deformed by hatred

distort and contort both imply a wrenching from the natural or normal, but contort suggests a more involved twisting and a more grotesque and painful result.

the odd camera angle distorts the figure

disease had contorted her body

warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane.

warped floorboards

Examples of distort in a Sentence

Her face was distorted by pain.

The odd camera angle distorted her figure in the photograph.

The sound of the guitar was distorted.

Heat caused the plastic to distort.

She felt he was distorting the facts.

The story was distorted by the press.

The loss of both her parents at an early age distorted her outlook on life.

Recent Examples on the Web

Donovan continued that social media also distorts wealth. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 29 June 2025

However, the same technologies that can immortalize could also distort and manipulate reality. —Sahar Hashmi, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025

But beneath the surface, there’s often a fragile sense of self, defended by a deep need for control, an inability to tolerate shame, and a tendency to distort reality in ways that protect their internal world at the expense of those around them. —Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 27 June 2025

Governments’ economic sanctions, such as those restricting trade with Iran, Russia or Venezuela, can distort production and investment decisions and disrupt trade flows. —Skip York, The Conversation, 27 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin distortus, past participle of distorquēre, from dis- + torquēre to twist — more at torture entry 1

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for distort

• abort
• airport
• alport
• athwart
• carport
• comport
• consort
• deport
• escort
• exhort
• extort
• forecourt

Kids Definition

distort

verb

dis·​tort dis-ˈtȯ(ə)rt 

1

: to tell in a way that is misleading : misrepresent

distorted the facts

2

: to twist out of a natural, normal, or original shape or condition

distorter noun

Etymology

from Latin distortus, past participle of distorquēre "to distort, twist out of proper meaning," from dis- "reverse, apart" and torquēre "to twist" — related to extort, retort, torture