DISTORT Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'distort' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of distort are contort , deform , 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

Q: In what contexts can 'deform' take the place of 'distort'?

Although the words deform and distort have much in common, deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth. // a face deformed by hatred

Q: When is it sensible to use 'warp' instead of 'distort'?

In some situations, the words warp and distort are roughly equivalent. However, warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane. // warped floorboards

distort

verb

di-ˈstȯrt

Definition of distort next

as in to misrepresent

to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of the coach's message was so distorted after passing through so many people that it was unintelligible

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to deform

to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition if you keep distorting your face like that, someday it's going to freeze in that position

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb distort contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of distort are contort, deform, 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

In what contexts can deform take the place of distort?

Although the words deform and distort have much in common, deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth.

a face deformed by hatred

When is it sensible to use warp instead of distort?

In some situations, the words warp and distort are roughly equivalent. However, warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane.

warped floorboards

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of distort The war has also distorted the composition of Russia’s economy, favoring defense firms at the expense of small- and medium-sized firms that serve the civilian sector, which won’t be able to absorb soldiers and workers displaced by the war’s end. —

Jason Ma, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2024 Potentially harmful content—such as videos that focus on aggressive behavior, cyber-hate, body shaming, self-harm, suicide, discrimination, and other risky behaviors—can distort adolescents' still-developing views of themselves and of appropriate social behavior. —

Alice Park, TIME, 20 Nov. 2024 Apple’s latest software update was to blame: A new feature that uses AI to summarize iPhone notifications had distorted the original text message. —

Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 19 Nov. 2024 The words, actions, outcomes, associated with the election — including demonizing, accusing, distorting, humiliating — require colleges to actively, intentionally engage and enable students and others to look beyond the superficial election outcome. —

Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 16 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for distort

Recent Examples of Synonyms for distort

Verb

Cooper Union, which later accused RFR of misrepresenting its financial situation, seemed to think so, too.

Kim Velsey, Curbed, 19 Dec. 2024
In particular, Ozy co-founder and chief operating officer Samir Rao had misrepresented himself on a call with Goldman Sachs by pretending to be a YouTube executive, Alex Piper.

Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2024