twisted; twisting; twists
1
a
: to unite by winding
twisting strands together
b
: to make by twisting strands together
twist thread from yarn
c
: to mingle by interlacing
3
a
: to wring or wrench so as to dislocate or distort
c
: contort
twisted his face into a grin
d
: to pull off, turn, or break by torsion
twist the nut off the bolt
e
: to cause to move with a turning motion
twisted her chair to face the fire
f
: to form into a spiral shape
g
: to cause to take on moral, mental, or emotional deformity
celebrity has twisted their sense of decorum
h
: to make (one's way) in a winding or devious manner to a destination or objective
1
: to follow a winding course : snake
2
3
of a ball
: to rotate while taking a curving path or direction
4
: turn sense 3a
twisted around to see behind him
1
b
: a dance performed with strenuous gyrations especially of the hips
c
: the spin given the ball in any of various games
d
: a spiral turn or curve
e(1)
: torque or torsional stress applied to a body (such as a rod or shaft)
(2)
: torsional strain
(3)
: the angle through which a thing is twisted
2
a
: a turning off a straight course
b
c
: a distortion of meaning or sense
3
4
: something formed by twisting or winding: such as
a
: a strip of citrus peel used to flavor a drink
b
: a baked piece of twisted dough
c
: a thread, yarn, or cord formed by twisting two or more strands together
d
: a strong tightly twisted sewing silk
e
: tobacco leaves twisted into a thick roll
5
: a front or back dive in which the diver twists sideways a half or full turn before entering the water
Synonyms
Examples of twist in a Sentence
Verb
The toy can be twisted into different shapes.
She twisted balloons into the shapes of different animals.
The antenna was twisted out of shape.
The car was a heap of twisted metal after the accident.
He twists his lip into an odd expression when he's thinking.
twist the dials on the radio
The bottle cap twists off.
Noun
a simple twist of the wrist
The jar should open with a twist of the lid.
The road has some nasty twists.
The coastal road had many twists and turns.
It was a film noir with some clever twists.
In an unusual twist, the police arrested one of their own.
They were brought together by a strange twist of fate.
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Recent Examples on the Web
April Franzino, Good Housekeeping, 8 Sep. 2023
With the other hand, remove the top shell from the bottom of the body, twisting and prying it off to separate the shell from legs and body.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 7 Sep. 2023
After twisting it around in the water for a while, Mevorach decided that the clicks were coming from the southwest.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
The film is a dour family drama about addiction, twisted into a mystery tale as the intrepid Paige tracks down leads about Michael’s murder, starting with his ex-best friend and fellow drug dealer Ducky (Hopper Penn).
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2023
This decor from Between Naps on the Porch features ornament-speckled garland twisted around the home'’s columns.
—Kelsey Mulvey, ELLE Decor, 29 Aug. 2023
Slowly twist the lower spine so knees drop to one side.
—Alyssa Sparacino, Men's Health, 24 Aug. 2023
Then the doctor twisted a screwdriver that drove screws through Taylor’s skin and into his skull.
—Nick Baumgardner and Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press, 28 Aug. 2023
The first photo shows Gaga in a black dress seated in front of a vanity and looking away from the mirror, which shows the blonde hair that looked as if it had been twisted, rolled, and then pinned at random to the back of her head.
—Gabi Thorne, Allure, 24 Aug. 2023
Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Glamour, 12 Sep. 2023
This Michael Aram menorah offers a traditional look with a twist—literally.
—Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2023
Schwartz has a hard-nosed and old-school reputation, but with a twist of attitude.
—Ashley Bastock, cleveland, 12 Sep. 2023
But for him, this is a distinct local version of data labor, which comes with a twist that benefits society.
—WIRED, 11 Sep. 2023
The spring/summer 2024 collection had a festive outlook, featuring sparkling confetti dresses, black tie ensembles with an edgy twist, sparkling sheers and the return of the bubble skirt silhouette.
—Anika Reed
usa Today, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2023
Today, of course, the time-money tradeoff is just as relevant for working adults, but with a new twist: The Covid pandemic changed people’s minds about just how consuming work should be, relative to other important parts of their lives, like time with family.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 9 Sep. 2023
As Hollywood braces for the ups, downs and unexpected twists in the quest to win big at the Academy Awards, here are five burning questions consuming the movie business.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Sep. 2023
Unfortunately, Alpha’s behavior is more believable than much of the script’s dialogue and plot twists.
—William Earl, Variety, 30 Aug. 2023
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Verb
Blow-dry hair in small sections using a round brush, twisting each around a roller once dry to set the curl.
—April Franzino, Good Housekeeping, 8 Sep. 2023
With the other hand, remove the top shell from the bottom of the body, twisting and prying it off to separate the shell from legs and body.
—Saveur Editors, Saveur, 7 Sep. 2023
After twisting it around in the water for a while, Mevorach decided that the clicks were coming from the southwest.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
The film is a dour family drama about addiction, twisted into a mystery tale as the intrepid Paige tracks down leads about Michael’s murder, starting with his ex-best friend and fellow drug dealer Ducky (Hopper Penn).
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2023
This decor from Between Naps on the Porch features ornament-speckled garland twisted around the home'’s columns.
—Kelsey Mulvey, ELLE Decor, 29 Aug. 2023
Slowly twist the lower spine so knees drop to one side.
—Alyssa Sparacino, Men's Health, 24 Aug. 2023
Then the doctor twisted a screwdriver that drove screws through Taylor’s skin and into his skull.
—Nick Baumgardner and Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press, 28 Aug. 2023
The first photo shows Gaga in a black dress seated in front of a vanity and looking away from the mirror, which shows the blonde hair that looked as if it had been twisted, rolled, and then pinned at random to the back of her head.
—Gabi Thorne, Allure, 24 Aug. 2023
Noun
For her sporty outing, Kate put an elevated twist on England’s team color by wearing a white Alexander McQueen suit.
—Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Glamour, 12 Sep. 2023
This Michael Aram menorah offers a traditional look with a twist—literally.
—Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2023
Schwartz has a hard-nosed and old-school reputation, but with a twist of attitude.
—Ashley Bastock, cleveland, 12 Sep. 2023
But for him, this is a distinct local version of data labor, which comes with a twist that benefits society.
—WIRED, 11 Sep. 2023
The spring/summer 2024 collection had a festive outlook, featuring sparkling confetti dresses, black tie ensembles with an edgy twist, sparkling sheers and the return of the bubble skirt silhouette.
—Anika Reed
usa Today, USA TODAY, 9 Sep. 2023
Today, of course, the time-money tradeoff is just as relevant for working adults, but with a new twist: The Covid pandemic changed people’s minds about just how consuming work should be, relative to other important parts of their lives, like time with family.
—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN, 9 Sep. 2023
As Hollywood braces for the ups, downs and unexpected twists in the quest to win big at the Academy Awards, here are five burning questions consuming the movie business.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Sep. 2023
Unfortunately, Alpha’s behavior is more believable than much of the script’s dialogue and plot twists.
—William Earl, Variety, 30 Aug. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'twist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, probably from Middle Dutch twisten, from twist twine, discord, quarrel; akin to Old English -twist (in candeltwist candlesnuffers, mæsttwist twin support for a mast), Middle English twisten to be forked, Middle High German zwist quarrel, Old English twi- twi-
First Known Use
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Noun
1555, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Time Traveler
The first known use of twist was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing twist
Dictionary Entries Near twist
Cite this Entry
“Twist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twist. Accessed 21 Sep. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
twist
1 of 2 verb1
: to unite by winding one thread, strand, or wire around another
3
a
: to turn so as to sprain or hurt
twisted my ankle
b
: to change the meaning of
twisted the facts
c
: to pull off, rotate, or break by a turning force
twisted a small branch off the tree
4
: to follow a winding course
twist
2 of 2 noun1
: a thread, yarn, or cord made by twisting two or more strands together
2
: an act of twisting : the state of being twisted
3
: a spiral turn or curve
4
: a strong personal tendency : bent
5
: a changing of meaning
6
: something (as a plan of action) that is both surprising and strange
More from Merriam-Webster on twist
Nglish: Translation of twist for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of twist for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about twist
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