twist

verb

\ ˈtwist

twisted; twisting; twists

Definition of twist

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to unite by winding twisting strands together

b : to make by twisting strands together twist thread from yarn

c : to mingle by interlacing

2 : twine, coil

3a : to wring or wrench so as to dislocate or distort especially : sprain twisted my ankle

b : to alter the meaning of : distort, pervert twisted the facts

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

intransitive verb

1 : to follow a winding course : snake

2a : to turn or change shape under torsion

b : to assume a spiral shape

c : squirm, writhe

d : to dance the twist

3 of a ball : to rotate while taking a curving path or direction

4 : turn sense 3a twisted around to see behind him

twist in the wind

: to be left to face a difficult situation without support or help

twist one's arm

: to bring strong pressure to bear on one

twist

noun

Definition of twist (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : an act of twisting : the state of being twisted

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

2a : a turning off a straight course

b : eccentricity, idiosyncrasy

c : a distortion of meaning or sense

3a : an unexpected turn or development weird twists of fate— W. L. Shirer

b : a clever device : trick questions demanding special twists of thinking — New Yorker

c : a variant approach or method : gimmick a kind of twist on the old triangle theme— Dave Fedo

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

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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.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

There are a lot of odd pieces that will have to be twisted, tweaked, wedged and jackhammered into the jigsaw puzzle for the Warriors to open their season as a genuine contender. — Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, "Maybe Warriors’ party is just getting started," 10 July 2019 That means its body is less likely to twist and flex, a key to ide comfort and stability. — Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, "Why Ford walked away from all-aluminum bodies for new 2020 Explorer," 6 July 2019 Furthermore, the player's father denied meeting up with club officials in Spain to discuss a deal, as the saga continues to twist and turn. — SI.com, "Barcelona Ready Neymar Bid With Four Players Set to Be Included in Swap Deal for PSG Star," 4 July 2019 In some cases, this system grows big enough that its winds also begin to be twisted around by Coriolis forces, creating the beginnings of a storm swirling around an eye. — Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, "Hurricanes: How These Destructive Storms Form, and Why They Get So Strong," 26 June 2019 Mary Louise is somehow able to twist the conversation into a defense of Perry’s temperament, to Jane’s shock. — Morgan Baila, refinery29.com, "Big Little Lies Episode 3 Recap: It's The End Of The World As They Know It," 24 June 2019 Anyone trying to twist this positivity into something it isn’t needs to calm down. — Glamour, "It's Great That Taylor Swift Now Supports Queer People, But Her Messaging Needs Some Work," 18 June 2019 Anyone trying to twist this positivity into something it isn’t needs to calm down. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Taylor Swift Responds to Rumor That She and Katy Perry Will Kiss in "You Need to Calm Down" Music Video," 15 June 2019 Anyone trying to twist this positivity into something it isn’t needs to calm down. — Robyn Merrett, PEOPLE.com, "Taylor Swift Shuts Down Rumor that She and Katy Perry Kiss in ‘You Need to Calm Down’ Video," 14 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Around the corner from Ross’ cheetahs, lions and elephants, another booth shows an array of animal works — with a twist. — Faith E. Pinho, latimes.com, "Laguna Art-A-Fair welcomes new and familiar faces to opening day Friday," 27 June 2019 Commonwealth Indian focuses mostly on the food of the north, sometimes with a twist, almost always with a flourish. — Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, "Commonwealth Indian is dressed to thrill in Rockville," 26 June 2019 Substack lets anyone create a free newsletter (similarly to Mailchimp or Revue) but with a twist. — Khe Hy, Quartz at Work, "Five “creator” apps that have captured Silicon Valley’s attention," 19 June 2019 Before your guests arrive, practice mixing a martini just the way Sinatra liked it: three ounces of Beefeater gin with just a kiss of dry vermouth, served on the rocks with a twist of lemon. — Heather Corcoran, ELLE Decor, "How to Bring Old Hollywood Into Your Home," 19 Mar. 2019 In New Hartford, Brewery Legitimus and Barden Farm are teaming up for the second summer to offer a farm share with a twist. — Camila Vallejo, courant.com, "A CSA With Beer And Cheese," 14 June 2019 Rachel Goclawski needed extra money a few years ago, so the Millbury resident started teaching cooking classes for children — with a twist. — Elana Varon, BostonGlobe.com, "How to turn your hobby into a side hustle," 14 June 2019 Muskego Fourth of July festivities are a day early and with a twist in Muskego. — Jennifer Whidden, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Here's everything you need to know for 4th of July in Milwaukee and the suburbs," 13 June 2019 The furnishings were also very much the style of the time, but with a modern twist. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "Best Room Wins," 7 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'twist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for twist

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-