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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distort The impermanence of our digital footprint, especially in this age of AI scraping and incomplete catalog streaming, is distorting our story. Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025 There are a million scenarios where the idea of all crime being legal would distort humanity. Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 29 Sep. 2025 Being conclusively established medical and scientific fact with a powerful expert consensus is a poor shield from this administration’s power to distort. Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 25 Sep. 2025 Instead, his big reveal on Monday offered families distorted science, false hope, and unproven and at times dangerous medical advice. Lisa Jarvis, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for distort
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distort
Verb
  • One 2018 report by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General found that the Nakamoto Group’s inspection reports misrepresented the work done for their evaluations, and that the facilities’ conditions did not match what government inspectors observed during their own visits.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025
  • House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Monday that Republicans were misrepresenting the Democratic Party's position.
    Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Sun’s magnetic field lines can be very twisted, and the solar wind and coronal mass ejections deform and drag them outward from the Sun.
    Samuel Badman, The Conversation, 6 Oct. 2025
  • In free fall, the sheet deforms into an upside-down bell when a weight is attached at its center.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The precursor to his game-sealing catch Sunday night in New Jersey became appropriately lost in a pretty compelling tale, but his final three steps before a body-contorting catch are all backpedals, spinning nearly 180 degrees to make the grab.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2025
  • That usually means contorting my limbs into weird, uncomfortable positions while trying to watch a movie on my phone.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 21 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Both have magnets screwed to one end for attaching the corresponding front or top panel, and both are filled with a multi-spaced bracket for installing 120mm to 200mm fans.
    Thomas Soderstrom, PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2025
  • And screw Dalot for that bad pass.
    Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Complete the harvest decoration by adding a thick ribbon around the arrangement and curling the ends.
    Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
  • The Dyson Airwrap Origin, a more streamlined version of the viral favorite Dyson Complete, uses the same Coanda airflow (without extreme heat) to curl, smooth, and volumize with just a few attachments.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • That’s a surefire way to bend the brim and otherwise misshape it.
    Talia Ergas, Travel + Leisure, 27 June 2023
  • The misshapen hemoglobin misshape the cells.
    Jason Mast, STAT, 19 Dec. 2022
Verb
  • Plus, it’s made from a water- and UV-resistant resin material to prevent warping and fading.
    Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Things got warped beyond belief after Kurt’s death.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Distort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distort. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on distort

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