Synonyms of distort

distort

verb

di-ˈstȯrt 

1

as in to misrepresent

to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of

the coach's message was so distorted after passing through so many people that it was unintelligible

Synonyms & Similar Words

• misrepresent
• misstate
• complicate
• falsify
• misinterpret
• twist
• pervert
• obscure
• warp
• confuse
• censor
• garble
• cook
• slant
• color
• bend
• fudge
• misrelate
• mistake
• mask
• disguise
• dissemble
• camouflage
• belie
• mistranslate
• lie
• whitewash
• veil
• gloss (over)
• mystify
• misspeak
• confound
• misdescribe
• bowdlerize
• prevaricate
• equivocate
• mix (up)
• palter
• fib

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• explain
• interpret
• illustrate
• clarify
• clear (up)
• illuminate
• spell out
• decipher

2

as in to deform

to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition

if you keep distorting your face like that, someday it's going to freeze in that position

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deform
• contort
• screw
• curl
• misshape
• warp
• torture
• disfigure
• deface
• squinch
• loop
• wring
• wind
• spiral
• coil
• wrest
• wrench
• twine
• wreathe

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• straighten
• unbend
• uncurl

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb distort contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of distort are contort, deform, and warp. While all these words mean "to mar or spoil by or as if by twisting," distort and contort both imply a wrenching from the natural or normal, but contort suggests a more involved twisting and a more grotesque and painful result.

the odd camera angle distorts the figure

disease had contorted her body

In what contexts can deform take the place of distort?

Although the words deform and distort have much in common, deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth.

a face deformed by hatred

When is it sensible to use warp instead of distort?

In some situations, the words warp and distort are roughly equivalent. However, warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane.

warped floorboards

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of distort

As a continent that’s bisected by the Equator, Africa is actually the least distorted of all in the Mercator projection. —Big Think, 2 Sep. 2025

Instead of presenting the complexity of Israeli reality, the filmmakers chose to amplify narratives that distort Israel’s image vis-à-vis international audiences. —David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 30 Aug. 2025

Isaac can be a very subtle actor, but all subtlety has been hammered out of his performance, as Del Toro’s close-ups distort his already distinctive features. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2025

Meanwhile doctored images may include some original elements but have been edited to distort reality. —Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025