1
as in twistings
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 tricks
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
1
as in distorts
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 curls
to follow a circular or spiral course
the path gently twisted down the hill
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in pulls
to move by or as if by a forceful rotation
kept twisting the cap until it came free
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in squirms
to make jerky or restless movements
the dental patient twisted nervously in the chair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in weaves
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
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Recent Examples of twists
Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 May 2026
But life is full of plot twists!
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 1 May 2026
There are micro-twists within the major ones, expressive fillips that blend confessions and aphorisms, and grand reflections along with jousts of seductive wit.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026
After word gets out that Frank Capra plans to see a matinee performance, a series of comedic twists and turns determines the fate of whether the two thespians achieve their acting ambitions.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
So that felt like a way to keep tension and stakes without cheating too many twists.
—Max Gao, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Offering American classics with modern twists, this lively bar and kitchen is the place to be for F1 attendees looking for a meal outside of the race, and for those who want to tune in from the restaurant while surrounded by waterfront views.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
The season has already been an emotional one, serving up plenty of twists and turns.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2026
What happened next had plenty of twists and turns.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
And you’re also reminded that such things are still tainted, even if the movie twists itself into knots to circumvent such thinking, and the level of innocence required to listen to those hits is long gone.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
So because of the cervical dystonia, my, head twists to the right and is misaligned.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Apr. 2026
In place of drums is a constant floor of undulating synth bass, which sometimes twists itself into the treble range but mostly functions as the x-axis to the percussion’s y in the vast lattice structure that supports this music.
—Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
Within minutes of leaving town, the pavement twists downward through tight turns and steep grades as the mountain air begins to warm, the vegetation giving way to chaparral and scattered juniper, then to the stark silhouettes of ocotillo and Mojave yucca.
—Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
The show’s ending twists a wedding-day nightmare into something far stranger than a simple curse story — and the rules governing who lives and who dies are easy to miss.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
As the investigation twists and intensifies, Izzy is forced to confront her own compulsions and the personal cost of her pursuit of justice.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
The law protects styles such as braids, locks, Afros and twists from discrimination.
—Jamal Goss, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
The podcast helped keep Eternally Yours alive through the various twists and turns that included an animation incarnation.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 May 2026
But life is full of plot twists!
—Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 1 May 2026
There are micro-twists within the major ones, expressive fillips that blend confessions and aphorisms, and grand reflections along with jousts of seductive wit.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Apr. 2026
After word gets out that Frank Capra plans to see a matinee performance, a series of comedic twists and turns determines the fate of whether the two thespians achieve their acting ambitions.
—Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
So that felt like a way to keep tension and stakes without cheating too many twists.
—Max Gao, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Offering American classics with modern twists, this lively bar and kitchen is the place to be for F1 attendees looking for a meal outside of the race, and for those who want to tune in from the restaurant while surrounded by waterfront views.
—Natalia Senanayake, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
The season has already been an emotional one, serving up plenty of twists and turns.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2026
What happened next had plenty of twists and turns.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
It is made of hard plastic and twists together, but other than that, this accessory serves the same purpose as Apple’s key ring.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
And you’re also reminded that such things are still tainted, even if the movie twists itself into knots to circumvent such thinking, and the level of innocence required to listen to those hits is long gone.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2026
So because of the cervical dystonia, my, head twists to the right and is misaligned.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Apr. 2026
In place of drums is a constant floor of undulating synth bass, which sometimes twists itself into the treble range but mostly functions as the x-axis to the percussion’s y in the vast lattice structure that supports this music.
—Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
Within minutes of leaving town, the pavement twists downward through tight turns and steep grades as the mountain air begins to warm, the vegetation giving way to chaparral and scattered juniper, then to the stark silhouettes of ocotillo and Mojave yucca.
—Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
The show’s ending twists a wedding-day nightmare into something far stranger than a simple curse story — and the rules governing who lives and who dies are easy to miss.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
As the investigation twists and intensifies, Izzy is forced to confront her own compulsions and the personal cost of her pursuit of justice.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2026
The law protects styles such as braids, locks, Afros and twists from discrimination.
—Jamal Goss, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for twists
Noun
-
Davis occasionally destabilizes this very familiar soundtrack with sly production tricks from Horne.—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
-
However, deer are adaptable creatures and often get used to the tricks put in their path, eventually ignoring attempts to deter them, Walke says.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The synthesis process consists of mixing bismuth ferrite with barium titanate to carefully engineer a strain, then growing the mixture as a thin film on a substrate that distorts its crystal structure.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But in doing that, that distorts the economics for all patients everywhere.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The fiber is made using a process that turns sugarcane into the core ingredients for stretch yarn, the world’s largest spandex manufacturer said.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
With costs dropping 80% over the last decade, storage is the missing link that turns intermittent weather into a steady, reliable heartbeat for the grid.—
Jennifer Granholm,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This month pulls you inward before launching you into a whole new era.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
Stars actually stay here, and the on-site cocktail spot Gemma pulls them down for drinks.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
When Brian and Murtagh report that Dougal offended the Grants and Colum had to promise Ellen’s hand to appease the situation, Lord Lovat squirms.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Lockwood takes different noises—from volcanic activity in Hawaii to spring peepers near the Mississippi River, crows around Essex, and hydroacoustic signals in the Tasman Sea—and weaves a tapestry in constant flux.—
Joshua Minsoo Kim,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Dolan dissects his estrangement from his mother after forty years of attempts at peace, and weaves in research and reportage about child abuse and trauma.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The ships represented by red shapes are tankers, while green shapes represent cargo ships and light blue ones are tugs, service or military vessels.—
Dana Karni,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
-
In space, the gravitational tugs from passing planets act like those currents.—
Patrick M. Shober,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Researchers evaluated and recorded the same 28 characteristics for each species based on preexisting data from universities and government agencies, Nunez-Mir said.—
Madeline King,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Clean-up operations involve experts who calculate the risk of a criticality accident based on the characteristics of the material being moved, Rofer says.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Twists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twists. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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