as in distorting
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
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Recent Examples of contorting
But first and foremost, Bad Omens are gifted musicians, and whatever eldritch magic Sebastian wields onstage will always be bolstered by a serious band contorting metal, dark pop and electronic music.
—
Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
In the first round of the 1993 tournament, against LSU Kidd’s drive through the lane and body-contorting, banker high off the backboard with one second left gave Cal a 66-64 win.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
But film and television stars lately have been contorting themselves to say less.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
Because you’re done contorting, shrinking, softening, and waiting for permission.
—Samyra, SELF, 14 Jan. 2026
The Thunder, contorting around the Frenchman’s wingspan, shot better than 68 percent inside the paint on just one fewer attempt than San Antonio.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Then, while Williams was stoic, Storrie feigned nervousness about presenting, contorting himself into knots.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2026
This is the city of Antoni Gaudi, the architect whose distinct buildings define Barcelona, contorting possibility.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
Outside that moment, everyone resumed contorting themselves to serve the Establishment in one way or another to survive.
—Eddie Huang, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2025
Los Angeles Times, 27 Mar. 2026
In the first round of the 1993 tournament, against LSU Kidd’s drive through the lane and body-contorting, banker high off the backboard with one second left gave Cal a 66-64 win.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
But film and television stars lately have been contorting themselves to say less.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
Because you’re done contorting, shrinking, softening, and waiting for permission.
—Samyra, SELF, 14 Jan. 2026
The Thunder, contorting around the Frenchman’s wingspan, shot better than 68 percent inside the paint on just one fewer attempt than San Antonio.
—Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Then, while Williams was stoic, Storrie feigned nervousness about presenting, contorting himself into knots.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2026
This is the city of Antoni Gaudi, the architect whose distinct buildings define Barcelona, contorting possibility.
—Jon Wertheim, CBS News, 1 Dec. 2025
Outside that moment, everyone resumed contorting themselves to serve the Establishment in one way or another to survive.
—Eddie Huang, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contorting
Verb
-
The front has square glass block masonry on the lower half, which lets light in while reducing what's visible outside by distorting the view.—
Stefan Ionescu
March 30,
New Atlas,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Kyle is just outing herself as a gossip and is distorting what everyone has to say to try to one-up Dorit in her own life.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Their atoms are held together by strong chemical bonds and arranged in a stable crystal structure that resists deforming, even at extreme temperatures.—
Vitor Rielli,
The Conversation,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Like stirring honey instead of water, deforming a thicker, more viscous interior requires more energy.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The cartel has been accused of using fake job advertisements to lure new members and of torturing and killing recruits who resist.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
No such rules appear to exist for Saudi Arabia, whose leaders have been accused of arbitrarily arresting, jailing and torturing people who speak out against the government.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
To make a profit from their business, American companies sent their manufacturing facilities overseas, screwing American workers by incurring smaller labor costs, therefore profiting rich investors who never had to work for it and used their money to make more money off the American consumer.—
Jay Reddick,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 Mar. 2026
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All the setup required was screwing in the legs.—
Noah Kaufman,
Architectural Digest,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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This curling action is often the precursor to a broader trend change, signaling that the sellers are losing their grip.—
Nishant Pant,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Think horseshoes, bocce ball, futsal, axe throwing … and yes, curling.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contorting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contorting. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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