contorted 1 of 2

contorted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of contort
as in deformed
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition the acrobat is able to contort his body so that it almost looks like a pretzel

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contorted
Adjective
As the Emcee, an eerie, contorted figure who represents the slow blackening of the city’s soul, Muscato picks up from a prestigious line of talent that includes Eddie Redmayne, Billy Porter and Matt Willis. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026 Barr has resolved the dilemma by writing a contorted endorsement of Blanche in The Wall Street Journal. — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 26 June 2026 The more contorted, the more supported. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 26 June 2026 The contorted, impossible plot isn’t the point, but its breakneck speed is. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 12 June 2026 The 39-year-old artist was finally gaining recognition abroad for his contorted, geometric sculptures made of thousands of hand-cut mirror shards reaching as high as 27 feet. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 28 Apr. 2026 Last week, Boston Dynamics explained Atlas’s ground recovery, revealing why the humanoid rises with contorted movements rather than standing like a human. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 18 Dec. 2025 Then there are a couple of realistic sculptures by Swedish artist Anna Uddenberg that feature a woman seated on a basic office chair in contorted positions that seem to emphasize her feminine parts. — Jane Wooldridge, Miami Herald, 3 Dec. 2025 Three-inch gashes had been ripped from both corners of her mouth nearly to the ears, forming a contorted, twisted smile. — Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
But somehow, Chase contorted his body, located the ball, snagged it out of the air, and kept both feet in the end zone for one of the best touchdown grabs of the season thus far. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026 Its blood had drawn crooked and contorted lines on the ground, as if a painter had splashed colorful strokes on a canvas to create a postmodern masterpiece. — Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026 Whisenhunt threw one more pitch, a 93 mph fastball, then contorted his arm and walked around the mound as head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner raced out to check on him. — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026 Human figures are often seen in floating, dynamic, and contorted positions, potentially engaging in shamanic journeys or ritualistic collective dances. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026 Years after Leontes, a king contorted by jealousy, has ordered that his wife, the blameless Hermione, be put to death, a curtain is drawn back to reveal what appears to be a statue of her. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 Football fandom is contorted by the internet now to put out beauty and vibe and wonder. — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026 Starting with a tone-setting marvel early, Room contorted and unfurled himself to 15 saves — including several other stupefying ones. — Kansas City Star, 21 June 2026 In these photographs, Export contorted her body in various ways, creating striking images of her body defying the expected. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contorted
Adjective
  • The shoegaze sound keeps evolving, as young artists keep hearing themselves in those mega-distorted waves of guitar fuzz.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Hanlen acknowledged the political attention Cunningham has attracted and suggested the public often receives a distorted impression of her.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • On a map, Newfoundland is a vast, asymmetrical island, cloven by bays and inlets, semi-detached to appendages of land deformed by ancient glaciers scraping over it, leaving glacial striations, grooves and gouges on its granite face.
    — Paul Theroux, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Parts on Repkon machines deformed, leading a worker to discover that they were made with Chinese steel, possibly in violation of federal regulations.
    — Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Bossy’s direction raises the clamorous volume instead of sorting out the disordered structure or digging into the unexamined silences.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
  • About 6% of women across all age groups live with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, and that figure climbs to 20% or higher after menopause, according to research on sleep-disordered breathing.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Calvin Harris switched the point of attack and fed Luiz right into stride, and Luiz curled one into the far corner from outside the penalty area.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Hadid’s curled blonde hair was secured beneath a polka-dot bandana, worn with sporty Side Eye NYC sunglasses.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Some with final removal orders also have legal protections against deportation to their countries of origin based on the likelihood they would be tortured or persecuted.
    — Ryan J. Foley, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Olivier tortured himself over her condition, remorseful and exhausted.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Contorted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contorted. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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