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
Even if audio isn’t clear, the brain can shift up a gear and start processing the audio faster to fill in the gaps or filter out any distortion or background noises.
—
Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
That slight distortion turned out to matter.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026
To bad actors, the grim reality on the ground in Minneapolis is simply fodder for low-effort memes and propagandistic distortions, curated for clicks and boosted visibility.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2026
Both the washing machine and dryer can warp your clothes, leading to distortion and shrinkage.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distortion
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Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
That slight distortion turned out to matter.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 18 Jan. 2026
To bad actors, the grim reality on the ground in Minneapolis is simply fodder for low-effort memes and propagandistic distortions, curated for clicks and boosted visibility.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2026
Both the washing machine and dryer can warp your clothes, leading to distortion and shrinkage.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 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 28 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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