as in deformations
the twisting of something out of its natural or normal shape or condition
had to total the car due to a distortion of the chassis resulting from collision
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Recent Examples of distortions
The researchers were able to glean more information about the event by analyzing the gravitational waves – distortions in space-time caused by powerful cosmic events – produced as the black hole bounced away from the site of its parents' rendezvous.
—
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
Initial unemployment insurance claims last week hit their highest level since October 2021, though the main cause was what could be an anomalous spike in Texas and distortions from the Labor Day holiday.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
Regular and purposeful improvements have been a constant factor in the life of LIGO, which consists of two detectors in Washington and Louisiana that can now measure distortions in spacetime that are 1/10,000 the width of a proton, or 700 trillion times smaller than the width of a human hair.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The first two months of the year are reported together to smooth out distortions from the long Lunar New Year break.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2025
Brief, startling moments of illumination are everywhere in its stories; so are all kinds of optical illusions and distortions.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
At the higher doses, most people had brief hallucinations or visual distortions, along with some nausea and headaches.
—Dr. Christian S. Monsalve, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2025
A number of fans in the background are moving with a uniform motion, and some of the faces have noticeable distortions.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Imports fell more than analysts expected, in a reversal of a surge in February and March; those distortions pushed down GDP at the start of the year, though the economy is expected to grow more in the second quarter.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
Initial unemployment insurance claims last week hit their highest level since October 2021, though the main cause was what could be an anomalous spike in Texas and distortions from the Labor Day holiday.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
Regular and purposeful improvements have been a constant factor in the life of LIGO, which consists of two detectors in Washington and Louisiana that can now measure distortions in spacetime that are 1/10,000 the width of a proton, or 700 trillion times smaller than the width of a human hair.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The first two months of the year are reported together to smooth out distortions from the long Lunar New Year break.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2025
Brief, startling moments of illumination are everywhere in its stories; so are all kinds of optical illusions and distortions.
—Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025
At the higher doses, most people had brief hallucinations or visual distortions, along with some nausea and headaches.
—Dr. Christian S. Monsalve, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2025
A number of fans in the background are moving with a uniform motion, and some of the faces have noticeable distortions.
—Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Imports fell more than analysts expected, in a reversal of a surge in February and March; those distortions pushed down GDP at the start of the year, though the economy is expected to grow more in the second quarter.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distortions
Noun
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Scientists at the European XFEL research facility have directly observed atomic-scale deformations inside solar cell materials using the world’s most powerful X-ray laser for the first time.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Aug. 2025
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Past studies have observed tissue deformations that suggest cells apply force — when migrating and invading tumors, for example — and Ojosnegros and his team wanted to explore the hypothesis that this also happens in implantation.—
Leslie Katz,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Noun
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These imaging scans help provide a better look at the bones to detect fractures, bone deformities, infections, and abnormalities like tumors.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
11 Sep. 2025
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Bouton, who endured yearslong treatment for spinal deformities that could have caused paralysis eventually, is happy to be playing at all.—
Dave Melton,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Distortions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distortions. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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