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
To explain these distortions, experts speculate that the figures served as fertility talismans—designed to maximize those parts of the body that evolution has encoded us to see as signs of optimal child-bearers.
—
Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
This receptiveness led to Ockenfels’ favorite pictures from their partnership — inspired by the facial distortions in the paintings of Francis Bacon — in which bendings of glass were employed to warp Bowie’s likeness.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
That specimen formed the basis of the new reconstruction, which used cutting-edge CT scanning, light imaging and virtual techniques to separate the bones from the rock matrix that encased them, and to correct the distortions inherent in the fossil.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
These ultra-tiny distortions, which were smaller than the width of a single atom, turned out to be of great importance.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025
Administration trade negotiators could further energize the economy by pursuing the phase-out of anticompetitive regulatory distortions by our trading partners.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
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
Harmon Siegel, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
This receptiveness led to Ockenfels’ favorite pictures from their partnership — inspired by the facial distortions in the paintings of Francis Bacon — in which bendings of glass were employed to warp Bowie’s likeness.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
That specimen formed the basis of the new reconstruction, which used cutting-edge CT scanning, light imaging and virtual techniques to separate the bones from the rock matrix that encased them, and to correct the distortions inherent in the fossil.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
These ultra-tiny distortions, which were smaller than the width of a single atom, turned out to be of great importance.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025
Administration trade negotiators could further energize the economy by pursuing the phase-out of anticompetitive regulatory distortions by our trading partners.
—Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distortions
Noun
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All in all, the researchers cataloged 3,907 arm actions that required 6,871 arm deformations.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
14 Sep. 2025
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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
Noun
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Services cover conditions such as brain tumors, spine deformities, and chronic neck and back pain.—
Chase Jordan,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Sep. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Distortions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distortions. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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