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
The band’s 2021 debut album, Pure, which caught the attention of Chicago’s Skin Graft Records, relied on harsh distortion and eccentric mixing in the trebly vein of Wavves or Times New Viking.
—
Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
Fixing the distortions that increasingly limit these benefits to the rich — and pressure middle-class families to accept ever-rising demands on their time and wallets — should be a priority for policymakers.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Rather than participate in this distortion of their mission, Civil Rights Division employees have departed at rates that stand out even amid the general hemorrhaging of legal talent from the DOJ.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
One example comes from the gravitational lens system JVAS B1938+666, where astronomers have detected a small but powerful distortion in the image of a distant galaxy.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for distortion
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Jude Noel, Pitchfork, 14 Apr. 2026
Fixing the distortions that increasingly limit these benefits to the rich — and pressure middle-class families to accept ever-rising demands on their time and wallets — should be a priority for policymakers.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
Rather than participate in this distortion of their mission, Civil Rights Division employees have departed at rates that stand out even amid the general hemorrhaging of legal talent from the DOJ.
—Quinta Jurecic, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026
One example comes from the gravitational lens system JVAS B1938+666, where astronomers have detected a small but powerful distortion in the image of a distant galaxy.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 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 19 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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