as in deformation
the twisting of something out of its natural or normal shape or condition
the comedian is renowned for his seemingly endless variety of facial contortions
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Recent Examples of contortion
There are nods to Linda Blair’s Regan in the sludgy projectile vomit that pours out of Katie, as well as the animalistic scampering, bodily contortions and levitation.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Wild performances kept the party going all night, with burlesque dancing from Violent Delights and Candace Cane, the latter of whom also did contortion.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026
As the Supreme Court sets out to untangle State Farm’s latest legal contortions, the cases will continue to pile up.
—J.c. Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 31 Mar. 2026
Perhaps Gartside chose music as his medium for working out his relentless questions because of its power to sidestep the analytical mind’s reflexive contortions and speak directly to the heart.
—Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
Recently, Boston Dynamics explained Atlas’s uncanny ground-recovery move, revealing why the humanoid rises with contortions rather than standing upright.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
And this is not to shame the act of contortion.
—Caroline Rothstein, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
The bodies had signs of binding the hands and feet, contortion of limbs, cut off fingertips and disfigured heads, according to Kaki.
—ABC News, 31 Oct. 2025
The incidents highlight the contortions of the Taliban four years after seizing power of Afghanistan.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Wild performances kept the party going all night, with burlesque dancing from Violent Delights and Candace Cane, the latter of whom also did contortion.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026
As the Supreme Court sets out to untangle State Farm’s latest legal contortions, the cases will continue to pile up.
—J.c. Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 31 Mar. 2026
Perhaps Gartside chose music as his medium for working out his relentless questions because of its power to sidestep the analytical mind’s reflexive contortions and speak directly to the heart.
—Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
Recently, Boston Dynamics explained Atlas’s uncanny ground-recovery move, revealing why the humanoid rises with contortions rather than standing upright.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
And this is not to shame the act of contortion.
—Caroline Rothstein, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
The bodies had signs of binding the hands and feet, contortion of limbs, cut off fingertips and disfigured heads, according to Kaki.
—ABC News, 31 Oct. 2025
The incidents highlight the contortions of the Taliban four years after seizing power of Afghanistan.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contortion
Noun
-
Even advanced physics engines cannot perfectly replicate real-world conditions—differences in friction, deformation, or lighting can lead to degraded model performance on actual robots.—
Ni Tao,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Apr. 2026
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Among Trump’s most consequential legacies has been his deformation of the temperament and disposition of virtually the entire Republican Party.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In some cases, the distortion of Zionism feeds into this trend, blurring the line between political critique and the delegitimization of the Jewish right to self-determination.—
Elad Strohmayer,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
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Percussionist and sound artist Colin Blanton mints a new alias for a suite of improvisational industrial jams where distortion is baked in at the atomic level.—
Maxie Younger,
Pitchfork,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Romans did not share our sensibilities about gender or deformity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
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Fish embryos that grow in the presence of oil may be born with heart defects, as well as spine and skull deformities.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contortion. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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