twist 1 of 2

noun

Definition of twistnext
1
as in twisting
a forceful rotating or pulling motion for the purpose of dislodging something with a forceful twist she loosened the bolt

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in trick
an odd or peculiar habit my roommate has his little twists, and I have mine, so things should balance out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

twist

2 of 2

verb

ˈtwist How to pronounce twist (audio)
1
as in to distort
to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of my enemies will twist my words, but you'll only hear the truth out of me

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to curl
to follow a circular or spiral course the path gently twisted down the hill

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to spin
to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis twisted my wrist around to stretch it

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in to pull
to move by or as if by a forceful rotation kept twisting the cap until it came free

Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to twitch
to make jerky or restless movements the dental patient twisted nervously in the chair

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to weave
to cause to twine about one another has the habit of idly twisting the strands of her hair while daydreaming

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 twist
Noun
The ice cream layer between the red velvet cake layers is a refreshing twist to traditional desserts, especially when topped with fresh blueberries. — Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 9 July 2026 In recent years, fashion trends have favored taking pieces steeped in history and giving them a modern twist. — René Chávez Esparza, Glamour, 9 July 2026
Verb
Clark survived that threat of twisting her ankle. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 June 2026 In other words, the metaphorical coin must be weighted—in this case, by hominins doing things on purpose, like laying their dead to rest in the narrow, twisting darkness of Rising Star. — ArsTechnica, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for twist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for twist
  1. tug
  2. trick
  3. distort
  4. curl
  5. spin
  6. pull
  7. twitch
  8. weave
Noun
  • Thus, with gravity the ultimate winner of this cosmic tug of war, the star's core collapses, sending violent shockwaves rippling outward into the outer stellar layers, which are ripped away.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 10 July 2026
  • Momentus’ spacecraft can also serve as space tugs to ferry smaller satellites or experiments from one orbit to another.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026
Definition of tug
Noun
  • Australia responded six minutes later following a trick lineout move involving hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa throwing to scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan at the front, getting the return pass and starting the movement that finished with him scoring.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
  • By stop-starting Gvardiol — a trick that lulls defenders into a false sense of security — and then faking to go one way and then the other, Messi found space where there seemed to be none and set up Julian Alvarez for Argentina’s third goal.
    — Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • Nigeria rejected the International Monetary Fund’s finding that the country has engaged in extra-budgetary public spending that distorts its deficit levels, blaming poor interpretation of its financial reporting method for the misunderstanding.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 10 July 2026
  • Hiding workforce-scale spend in IT line items avoids the conversation; treating it as labor distorts it.
    — Priya Sawant, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Definition of distort
Verb
  • After curling a stunning effort into the top corner, Lopes Cabral raced over to celebrate with the Cape Verde supporters in the stadium.
    — Tom Burrows, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • As flames licked at the fabric and smoke curled toward the ceiling, an overcapacity crowd of more than 1,800 panicked, rushing for the exits and jamming against doors that opened inward.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
Definition of curl
Verb
  • In a move first reported by The Athletic, Philadelphia initially reached out to Paul when Gansey and general manager Jameer Nelson spun the trade that brought Jaylen Brown to the Sixers from the Boston Celtics.
    — Tony Jones, New York Times, 14 July 2026
  • Their powerful magnetic fields channel beams of radiation from their magnetic poles that sweep across space as the stars spin, much like the beam of a lighthouse.
    — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 14 July 2026
Definition of spin
Verb
  • Eileen Tyrrell, a 27-year-old bookseller, pulled the cushions off her couch to arrange makeshift seating in her Brooklyn apartment.
    — Grey Battle, Washington Post, 16 July 2026
  • The strong currents from flash floods can pull drivers off roadways.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of pull
Verb
  • There is something cultish about that idea — the player who tends not to start but has the knack to appear later on with antennae twitching, ready to seize the day and alter the course of a match.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 21 June 2026
  • Leon Stetson was allegedly twitching, so officers moved him away from Carrie Stetson and started to render medical aid.
    — Kellie Love, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026
Definition of twitch
Verb
  • The hotel’s design concept weaves a story around the fictional historic Lamarck University, an homage to the French evolutionary theorist, which was supposedly founded in 1894, then abandoned in the 1940s, and ultimately restored by Marriott.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
  • For around 20 minutes, the pilot weaved his cheeky confession in clear loops above the Dee estuary, leaving an unmistakable signature in the sky.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Definition of weave

Phrases Containing twist

Browse Nearby Words

twirls
twist
twisted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Twist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twist. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on twist

Nglish: Translation of twist for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about twist

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of obdurate

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All