distortion
noun
dis·tor·tion
di-ˈstȯr-shən 
1
: the act of twisting or altering something out of its true, natural, or original state : the act of distorting
a distortion of the facts
2
: the quality or state of being distorted : a product of distorting: such as
a
physics
: a lack of proportionality in an image resulting from defects in the optical system
an image free of distortion
b
: falsified reproduction of an audio or video signal (see signal entry 1 sense 4b) caused by change in the wave form of the original signal
Examples of distortion in a Sentence
had to total the car due to a distortion of the chassis resulting from collision
Recent Examples on the Web
Unexpectedly, the scientists discovered that Titan's interior is resisting distortion from Saturn's gravitational pull to a much greater degree than previously thought.
—
Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 17 Dec. 2025
The combination of the preference for sons in Chinese culture and the one-child mandate has produced severe distortions in the country’s ratio of men to women that will be evident even decades from now.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Weekly unemployment claims, which are watched closely as a proxy for layoff activity, have largely held steady (minus distortions caused by the Thanksgiving holiday week).
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025
Weaker jobs, higher inflation Of course, any surprises in next week’s releases will have to be taken with a grain of salt, given that the delays in data collection could mean the numbers are incomplete or have other distortions.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distortion
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Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 17 Dec. 2025
The combination of the preference for sons in Chinese culture and the one-child mandate has produced severe distortions in the country’s ratio of men to women that will be evident even decades from now.
—Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Weekly unemployment claims, which are watched closely as a proxy for layoff activity, have largely held steady (minus distortions caused by the Thanksgiving holiday week).
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025
Weaker jobs, higher inflation Of course, any surprises in next week’s releases will have to be taken with a grain of salt, given that the delays in data collection could mean the numbers are incomplete or have other distortions.
—Sarah Min, CNBC, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distortion
Cite this Entry
“Distortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distortion. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
distortion
noun
dis·tor·tion
dis-ˈtȯr-shən
1
: the act of distorting
2
: the condition of being distorted or a product of distortion
Medical Definition
distortion
noun
dis·tor·tion
dis-ˈtȯr-shən
1
: the censorship of unacceptable unconscious impulses so that they are unrecognizable to the ego in the manifest content of a dream
2
: a lack of correspondence of size or intensity in an image resulting from defects in an optical system
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