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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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

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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

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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
In an ironic twist, last night’s speech really might help protect the integrity of the 2026 election. — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026 The film’s biggest plot twist finds the sibling’s mother, played by Pamela Anderson, alive and living with her girlfriend Emma (Elena Anaya), which provided Daigeler with an additional environment to interpret. — CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Verb
Simply twist out the old drain, drop the new one in, and push it down to fit it snugly. — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 30 June 2026 Clark survived that threat of twisting her ankle. — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 27 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
  • These shorts have an easy pull-on opening that eliminates the tug-and-jump dance associated with denim shorts.
    — Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
  • For as much as many savor the South Florida lifestyle, the tug of a hometown can have an even greater pull on the heartstrings.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2026
Definition of tug
Noun
  • Les Bleus were then a penalty shootout away from retaining it four years later when a Mbappe hat-trick improbably wasn’t enough to ensure France became the first team to retain the trophy since Brazil in 1962.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 19 July 2026
  • Small styling tricks can help create movement, texture, and add visual interest—and one of those is reflexing.
    — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 18 July 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • The least costly and least distorting way to solve the entire financing gap is to extend Social Security's base beyond paychecks to capital income -- capital gains, dividends, interest and pass-through business income.
    — Teresa Ghilarducci, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Is realism based only on minds untouched by illness or some other distorting factor, or at least not so touched that that mind becomes, as my grandmother’s is, unbound?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026
Definition of distort
Verb
  • Meg Stalter once again donned the bratty, curled wig of Mary Todd Lincoln last night, returning to her Broadway debut performance as the lead in Cole Escola’s Oh, Mary!
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 18 July 2026
  • Kylian Mbappe, France vs Croatia, 2018 Mbappe puts the game out of Croatia’s reach by giving the keeper the eyes from distance, shaping to curl one to the right before sliding one low to the left.
    — Adam Hurrey, New York Times, 17 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

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twirls
twist
twisted
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Cite this Entry

“Twist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twist. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on twist

Nglish: Translation of twist for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about twist

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