twist

1 of 2

verb

ˈtwist 

twisted; twisting; twists

transitive verb

1

a

: to unite by winding

twisting strands together

b

: to make by twisting strands together

twist thread from yarn

c

: to mingle by interlacing

2

: twine, coil

3

a

: to wring or wrench so as to dislocate or distort

especially : sprain

twisted my ankle

b

: to alter the meaning of : distort, pervert

twisted the facts

c

: contort

twisted his face into a grin

d

: to pull off, turn, or break by torsion

twist the nut off the bolt

e

: to cause to move with a turning motion

twisted her chair to face the fire

f

: to form into a spiral shape

g

: to cause to take on moral, mental, or emotional deformity

celebrity has twisted their sense of decorum

h

: to make (one's way) in a winding or devious manner to a destination or objective

intransitive verb

1

: to follow a winding course : snake

2

a

: to turn or change shape under torsion

b

: to assume a spiral shape

c

: squirm, writhe

d

: to dance the twist

3

of a ball : to rotate while taking a curving path or direction

4

: turn sense 3a

twisted around to see behind him

twist

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: an act of twisting : the state of being twisted

b

: a dance performed with strenuous gyrations especially of the hips

c

: the spin given the ball in any of various games

d

: a spiral turn or curve

e(1)

: torque or torsional stress applied to a body (such as a rod or shaft)

(2)

: torsional strain

(3)

: the angle through which a thing is twisted

2

a

: a turning off a straight course

b

: eccentricity, idiosyncrasy

c

: a distortion of meaning or sense

3

a

: an unexpected turn or development

weird twists of fate

—W. L. Shirer

b

: a clever device : trick

questions demanding special twists of thinking

—New Yorker

c

: a variant approach or method : gimmick

a kind of twist on the old triangle theme

—Dave Fedo

4

: something formed by twisting or winding: such as

a

: a strip of citrus peel used to flavor a drink

b

: a baked piece of twisted dough

c

: a thread, yarn, or cord formed by twisting two or more strands together

d

: a strong tightly twisted sewing silk

e

: tobacco leaves twisted into a thick roll

5

: a front or back dive in which the diver twists sideways a half or full turn before entering the water

twisty

ˈtwi-stē 

adjective

Phrases

twist in the wind

: to be left to face a difficult situation without support or help

twist one's arm

: to bring strong pressure to bear on one

Synonyms

Verb

• bend
• color
• cook
• distort
• falsify
• fudge
• garble
• misinterpret
• misrelate
• misrepresent
• misstate
• pervert
• slant
• warp

Noun

• twisting
• wrench
• wrenching
• wresting
• wringing

Examples of twist in a Sentence

Verb

The toy can be twisted into different shapes.

She twisted balloons into the shapes of different animals.

The antenna was twisted out of shape.

The car was a heap of twisted metal after the accident.

He twists his lip into an odd expression when he's thinking.

twist the dials on the radio

The bottle cap twists off.

Noun

a simple twist of the wrist

The jar should open with a twist of the lid.

The road has some nasty twists.

The coastal road had many twists and turns.

It was a film noir with some clever twists.

In an unusual twist, the police arrested one of their own.

They were brought together by a strange twist of fate.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The biggest concern postgame was Williams’ ankle, which got twisted up at the end of the game. —Chicago Tribune, 10 Dec. 2024

Move your body in peculiar shapes, bring your arms above your head or twist at odd degrees. —Margaret Cirino, NPR, 6 Dec. 2024

Noun

But the character’s departure was intended as one of many shocking twists to keep the narrative stakes high, not as a signal of any change in the franchise’s commitment to inclusion. —Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024

The third season will dive deeper into the beauty and trials of homegrown love, and new twists will put relationships to the ultimate test. —Marc Berman, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch twisten, from twist twine, discord, quarrel; akin to Old English -twist (in candeltwist candlesnuffers, mæsttwist twin support for a mast), Middle English twisten to be forked, Middle High German zwist quarrel, Old English twi- twi-

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1555, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Phrases Containing twist

• French twist
• get one's knickers in a twist
• round the twist
• the twist
• twist and turn
• twist drill
• twist someone's arm
• twist someone's words
• twist tie
• twist/turn the knife (in the wound)

Kids Definition

twist

1 of 2 verb

ˈtwist 

1

: to unite by winding one thread, strand, or wire around another

2

: twine entry 2 sense 2

3

a

: to turn so as to sprain or hurt

twisted my ankle

b

: to change the meaning of

twisted the facts

c

: to pull off, rotate, or break by a turning force

twisted a small branch off the tree

4

: to follow a winding course

twist

2 of 2 noun

1

: a thread, yarn, or cord made by twisting two or more strands together

2

: an act of twisting : the state of being twisted

3

: a spiral turn or curve

4

: a strong personal tendency : bent

5

: a changing of meaning

6

: something (as a plan of action) that is both surprising and strange