as in deformations
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of contortions
The screams, contortions and vocal shifts were made without CGI or artificial intelligence, and that detail is its own form of campaign currency in an era when audiences and voters alike are increasingly skeptical of digital enhancement.
—
Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 June 2026
The Russian state has often forced its people into strange contortions of the mind.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
There is also the chance to go conceptual and to study the body itself—its limitations, expressions, and even contortions, say by wearing or referencing the work of Rei Kawakubo, who was the topic of a Costume Institute exhibition in 2017.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 1 May 2026
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
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
The oil made her body slippery, allowing rescuers to pull her out of the passageway by working in reverse and undoing all the contortions that trapped her.
—Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 June 2026
The Russian state has often forced its people into strange contortions of the mind.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 6 June 2026
There is also the chance to go conceptual and to study the body itself—its limitations, expressions, and even contortions, say by wearing or referencing the work of Rei Kawakubo, who was the topic of a Costume Institute exhibition in 2017.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 1 May 2026
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
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
The oil made her body slippery, allowing rescuers to pull her out of the passageway by working in reverse and undoing all the contortions that trapped her.
—Mark Gray, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contortions
Noun
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Reference markers printed directly onto the silicone collar let a tiny onboard camera measure those deformations in real time.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 23,
New Atlas,
23 Apr. 2026
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Most of the shifts and deformations gradually returned to normal by six months after return to Earth.—
Rachael Seidler,
Space.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Researchers have previously documented persistent body image distortions following weight changes, particularly among people who have spent years navigating weight stigma.—
Virgie Tovar,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Engineers still need to determine how to precisely measure and compensate for signal distortions across the antenna.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 June 2026
Noun
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The toebox’s square shape is also particularly accommodating for bunion deformities.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
27 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
“Contortions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contortions. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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