as in winding
marked by a long series of irregular curves
a twisting mountain road that requires extra careful driving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in twist
a forceful rotating or pulling motion for the purpose of dislodging something
it took some twisting, but I finally got the top off the jar
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in distorting
to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of
my enemies will twist my words, but you'll only hear the truth out of me
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in coiling
to follow a circular or spiral course
the path gently twisted down the hill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in rotating
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis
twisted my wrist around to stretch it
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in pulling
to move by or as if by a forceful rotation
kept twisting the cap until it came free
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in tossing
to make jerky or restless movements
the dental patient twisted nervously in the chair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in weaving
to cause to twine about one another
has the habit of idly twisting the strands of her hair while daydreaming
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 twisting
Mark Phelan, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
When the sprouts are 5 to 6 inches long, remove the slips by twisting them off the potato or cutting the potato into sections between each sprout.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
By twisting the proportions into something sharper and more architectural, the brand signaled both continuity and change in its first women’s outing under Anderson’s watch.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2025
The eight-time Pro Bowler had just caught a 10-yard pass when Jets safety Malachi Moore tackled him out of bounds, twisting his leg underneath him.
—Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
The incenses were twisting in the air, the different smokes braiding themselves like hair in Coraline’s gloved fingers.
—Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
For families, the massive pool, complete with twisting water slides and splash pads, is a major draw.
—Christine Chitnis, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
When cutting rounds, press straight down instead of twisting the cutter.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
This typically involves removing the bean hopper and twisting out the burr.
—Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
Subaru’s rural test site didn’t lend itself to the stop and go city driving where hybrids shine, but the Crosstrek’s extra power was apparent on twisting mountain roads.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
When the sprouts are 5 to 6 inches long, remove the slips by twisting them off the potato or cutting the potato into sections between each sprout.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 Oct. 2025
By twisting the proportions into something sharper and more architectural, the brand signaled both continuity and change in its first women’s outing under Anderson’s watch.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 1 Oct. 2025
The eight-time Pro Bowler had just caught a 10-yard pass when Jets safety Malachi Moore tackled him out of bounds, twisting his leg underneath him.
—Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
The incenses were twisting in the air, the different smokes braiding themselves like hair in Coraline’s gloved fingers.
—Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
For families, the massive pool, complete with twisting water slides and splash pads, is a major draw.
—Christine Chitnis, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
When cutting rounds, press straight down instead of twisting the cutter.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
This typically involves removing the bean hopper and twisting out the burr.
—Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for twisting
Adjective
-
Thake took a long and winding trip down the memories of South Yorkshire football, a path which eventually led him to the living room of a shy, almost reclusive Rotherham man called Terry Moran.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
-
The Didi and Gogo that Sparks and Shannon created were full of blood and bile, real people with — no matter how obscured in its details by time and circumstance — a long and winding relationship.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Simply push the three-prong nail claw into the weed, twist, and pull the stubborn weed out.—
Brandi Fuller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The character has already been shown in trailers alongside glimpses of Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man — all evoking classic imagery from the 1939 Wizard of Oz without giving too much away about the characters’ surprise-twist identities.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Other factors may also be distorting reports of public support for political violence.—
Ryan Kennedy,
The Conversation,
13 Oct. 2025
-
Still, another way to view it is that AI is the latest tool in humanity’s long history of shaping and distorting narratives.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Dense dust lanes can be seen coiling around Andromeda's glowing galactic center, which is thought to house a supermassive black hole 140 million times more massive than our sun.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As de rigueur with the rotating doors in the C-suite of a new merger, Paramount Global and Marketing Distribution Boss Marc Weinstock and Domestic Distribution President Chris Aronson are departing.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Dave and a rotating cast of smart, thought-provoking guests talk about their inspirations, failures, successes, fame, and identities.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Palestinian militant group Hamas on Monday returned the 20 living hostages held in Gaza for more than two years to Israel, while Israeli authorities released close to 2,000 Palestinian prisoners after pulling back military forces in the strip to control roughly half of the territory.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
-
The podcasts will range from sports to culture to true crime, aiming to both complement Netflix's current slate and bring in new audiences, pulling from The Ringer's lineup.—
Laya Neelakandan,
CNBC,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Just be sure the lid’s fully sealed before tossing it in your bag or pack.—
Clay Abney,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The long-standing tradition involves the crowd tossing the discs into the air primarily before kickoff at Jones AT&T Stadium.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Chef Xavier Deshayes creates traditional dishes inspired by the region, weaving in produce from local growers and his own personal farm in the Virginia countryside.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
19 Oct. 2025
-
The house was so distinctive that Armstrong adapted his script to fit it, weaving in elements like its bowling alley to shape both the narrative and the characters’ world.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Twisting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twisting. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share