distorted

adjective

dis·​tort·​ed di-ˈstȯr-təd 

: altered from a true, natural, or normal state, shape, or condition

a distorted image

a distorted view/understanding of the situation

a distorted account of what happened

The public is, I believe, dimly aware of this aspect of ethnography, perhaps in romantically distorted ways, but aware nonetheless.

—Roy A. Rappaport

What happens is that you realize people in other countries tend to reach distorted conclusions about the U.S., and you feel obligated to provide what you believe is a full and balanced appraisal.

—Norman Cousins

Synonyms of distorted

• monstrous
• deformed
• misshapen
• malformed
• mutant

Examples of distorted in a Sentence

surgery to correct a distorted foot

Recent Examples on the Web

The most fateful night of my protagonist’s life—the night when her childhood best friend disappears on a black-sand beach—leaves her with a distorted recollection of what really happened. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026

Interior Ministry spokesman Rachid Khalfi blamed the surge on online misinformation, human-trafficking networks and distorted interpretations of Spanish legal and administrative developments, according to The Jerusalem Post. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026

The same distorted numbers apply here for the mid-week releases (Far From Home, Spider-Man 2 and The Amazing Spider-Man) but again, none of this changes the fact that even adjusted for inflation, Brand New Day is the clear winner. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Everything else–the percussive jumpscares, the distorted synth stabs, the unintelligible vocal samples–pops in and out at will. — Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 31 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for distorted

• aborted
• assorted
• comported
• consorted
• contorted
• deported
• escorted
• exhorted
• exported
• extorted
• imported
• purported