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
Washing the shirt at home can result in shrinking or distortion of the fabric and excessive wrinkling.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 31 Dec. 2025
Now, if the election is close, those interventions and distortions may be enough.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
These models produce stable, coherent faces without the flicker, warping or structural distortions around the eyes and jawline that once served as reliable forensic evidence of deepfakes.
—Siwei Lyu, The Conversation, 26 Dec. 2025
The findings show that, while individual fullerene cages undergo reversible distortions, the overall bridged scaffold remains intact.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distortion
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Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 31 Dec. 2025
Now, if the election is close, those interventions and distortions may be enough.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
These models produce stable, coherent faces without the flicker, warping or structural distortions around the eyes and jawline that once served as reliable forensic evidence of deepfakes.
—Siwei Lyu, The Conversation, 26 Dec. 2025
The findings show that, while individual fullerene cages undergo reversible distortions, the overall bridged scaffold remains intact.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for distortion
Cite this Entry
“Distortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distortion. Accessed 6 Jan. 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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