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
This will allow Roman to hunt down exoplanets through flickers, or distortions, in starlight as planets pass in front of stars — assuming the distortions aren't due to starquakes, or some other stellar phenomena.
—
Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The film opens with real mirages filmed near Aswan in Egypt, where atmospheric conditions produce optical distortions.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Even so, some analysts suggest that the war in the Gulf may not have a major impact on exports across the broader economy in the months to come, and instead cited seasonal distortions from the Chinese New Year holiday for the March downtick.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Fixing the distortions that increasingly limit these benefits to the rich — and pressure middle-class families to accept ever-rising demands on their time and wallets — should be a priority for policymakers.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
This could allow for greater design flexibility, as lower curing deformation results in fewer distortions during production.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
At Ulrik, these biomorphic forms echoed the surreal distortions that Bettina documented in Manhattan’s corporate architecture.
—Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026
Written in lyrical and rhythmic prose, the novel delves into the lasting moral and spiritual distortions created by colonization in both colonizer and colonized.
—Alvin Birdi, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
On the surface, my life seemed organized around the pursuit of truth, but I was simultaneously being drawn into the heady distortions of the digital sphere, spending more and more of my time online.
—Hannah Gold, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 21 Apr. 2026
The film opens with real mirages filmed near Aswan in Egypt, where atmospheric conditions produce optical distortions.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
Even so, some analysts suggest that the war in the Gulf may not have a major impact on exports across the broader economy in the months to come, and instead cited seasonal distortions from the Chinese New Year holiday for the March downtick.
—John Liu, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2026
Fixing the distortions that increasingly limit these benefits to the rich — and pressure middle-class families to accept ever-rising demands on their time and wallets — should be a priority for policymakers.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026
This could allow for greater design flexibility, as lower curing deformation results in fewer distortions during production.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 3 Apr. 2026
At Ulrik, these biomorphic forms echoed the surreal distortions that Bettina documented in Manhattan’s corporate architecture.
—Katherine Rochester, Artforum, 1 Apr. 2026
Written in lyrical and rhythmic prose, the novel delves into the lasting moral and spiritual distortions created by colonization in both colonizer and colonized.
—Alvin Birdi, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
On the surface, my life seemed organized around the pursuit of truth, but I was simultaneously being drawn into the heady distortions of the digital sphere, spending more and more of my time online.
—Hannah Gold, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distortions
Noun
-
Most of the shifts and deformations gradually returned to normal by six months after return to Earth.—
Rachael Seidler,
Space.com,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The engineers then continuously tracked the slabs’ deformations.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fish embryos that grow in the presence of oil may be born with heart defects, as well as spine and skull deformities.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In December 2023, the FDA issued a warning about the dangers of fat-dissolving injections after many reports of severe side effects, including permanent scars, serious infections, skin deformities, cysts, and deep, painful knots.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Distortions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distortions. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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