Synonyms of contort

contort

verb

kən-ˈtȯrt 

as in to distort

to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition

the acrobat is able to contort his body so that it almost looks like a pretzel

Synonyms & Similar Words

• distort
• deform
• screw
• curl
• torture
• warp
• misshape
• disfigure
• squinch
• deface
• loop
• wring
• spiral
• wind
• wrench
• coil
• wrest
• twine
• wreathe

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straighten
• unbend
• uncurl

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb contort contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of contort are deform, distort, and warp. While all these words mean "to mar or spoil by or as if by twisting," 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

When could deform be used to replace contort?

While in some cases nearly identical to contort, deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth.

a face deformed by hatred

Where would warp be a reasonable alternative to contort?

The words warp and contort are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane.

warped floorboards

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of contort

Portending later developments, professional upstart James (Phinehas Yoon) tries to contort this absurd scenario into a logic puzzle while riding shotgun. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 9 Mar. 2025

At the start of the production, when Blanche arrives at her sister’s dumpy apartment, a lithe young man (Jabez Sykes) contorts himself in abstract choreography. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025

The dancers contorted themselves accordingly: ohh eee enn owooooooo. —Matthew Sherrill, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025

Her initial fever and cough contorted into crushing fatigue, brain fog, blurred vision, dizziness, chest pain and more — and the debilitating symptoms never left. —Farah Aziz Annesha, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2025