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
This distortion creates a dynamic that blurs the line between authority figure and peer ally, which is unhealthy, unproductive and simply not the role of public schools.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
As a result, low-end distortion is minimized, and sound becomes clearer.
—George Yang, PC Magazine, 7 Apr. 2026
To me, the relationship to the grandmother’s story is that, there’s this hallucination, and then there’s a way of making the experience of distortion feel shared.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
And both reckon with the extent to which historical ignorance and the calculated distortion of the past threaten the foundation on which our country was built.
—Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distortion
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The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
As a result, low-end distortion is minimized, and sound becomes clearer.
—George Yang, PC Magazine, 7 Apr. 2026
To me, the relationship to the grandmother’s story is that, there’s this hallucination, and then there’s a way of making the experience of distortion feel shared.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
And both reckon with the extent to which historical ignorance and the calculated distortion of the past threaten the foundation on which our country was built.
—Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distortion
Cite this Entry
“Distortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distortion. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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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