as in distorts
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 contorts
Monk’s music contorts into an ecstatic dance, one more befitting of a ritual trance state than a night at the Five Spot.
—
Levi Dayan,
Pitchfork,
11 May 2026
Bridges contorts his body, and jacks up an errant layup, but the play isn’t done there.
—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
As a magnetar spins on its axis at nearly the speed of light, its immense magnetic field contorts, coils and twists to pump out powerful radiation.
—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
11 Mar. 2026
At this point, you’d be forgiven for expecting a straightforward werewolf story, but Cassidy’s novel stretches and contorts into something far stranger, more audacious, and ultimately, both heartbreaking and triumphant.
—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
2 Dec. 2025
With an almost modern-day Charlie Chaplin-esque physicality, Moss dances, contorts, and frolics amongst the shoes, their boxes, and fixtures in the store for a mesmerizing, can't-look-away effect.
—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Levi Dayan,
Pitchfork,
11 May 2026
Bridges contorts his body, and jacks up an errant layup, but the play isn’t done there.
—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
As a magnetar spins on its axis at nearly the speed of light, its immense magnetic field contorts, coils and twists to pump out powerful radiation.
—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
11 Mar. 2026
At this point, you’d be forgiven for expecting a straightforward werewolf story, but Cassidy’s novel stretches and contorts into something far stranger, more audacious, and ultimately, both heartbreaking and triumphant.
—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
2 Dec. 2025
With an almost modern-day Charlie Chaplin-esque physicality, Moss dances, contorts, and frolics amongst the shoes, their boxes, and fixtures in the store for a mesmerizing, can't-look-away effect.
—
Roxanne Robinson,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contorts
Verb
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Progressives across the country have spent years arguing that unlimited outside spending distorts democracy, empowers wealthy interests, and undermines trust in government.
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This lyrical collection from B Batchelor—a 2025 Haymarket Writing Freedom Fellow, and a recipient of multiple awards from PEN America—explores the way incarceration distorts time.
Verb
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When an object touches a sucker, the silicone deforms and changes the light reflection pattern.
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Kinks are critical in determining where a material deforms, appearing in situations such as metals bending permanently or DNA strands separating.
Verb
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The retrospection tortures her.
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Later, in one of the movie's most satisfying scenes, Millie locks Andrew in the attic and tortures him by loudly smashing each plate.
Cite this Entry
“Contorts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contorts. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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