warp 1 of 2

warp

2 of 2

verb

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as in to deform
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition freezing warped the plastic, and now the cover won't fit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb warp contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of warp are contort, deform, and distort. While all these words mean "to mar or spoil by or as if by twisting," warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane.

warped floorboards

When could deform be used to replace warp?

The synonyms deform and warp are sometimes interchangeable, but deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth.

a face deformed by hatred

How do distort and contort relate to one another, in the sense of warp?

Distort and contort both imply a wrenching from the natural or normal, but contort suggests a more involved twisting and a more grotesque and painful result.

the odd camera angle distorts the figure
disease had contorted her body

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 warp
Noun
The warps may also have an impact on how planets form and find their final orbits in planet-forming disks. Keith Cooper, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2025 The production warps choirs and tambourines into his own sort of gospel. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2025
Verb
Adverts for incontinence pads or mothers passing on their experiences to daughters have warped society’s perception of what is normal. Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 Imagine reaching Mars only to collapse from exhaustion, or facing an invisible killer that warps your DNA. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for warp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warp
Noun
  • And unlike pricier Dyson or Shark models, this lightweight powerhouse covers all the same bases for $150—now 25% off ahead of Black Friday.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The Los Angeles Dodgers announced two-way star Shohei Ohtani's 12 total bases in Monday's Game 3 are a franchise World Series record.
    Valentina Martinez, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Scans revealed the magnets had clustered into four chains in the lower-right side of his abdomen, pulling together different sections of his bowel with their magnetic force, the report said, noting some imagery was distorted by the magnets.
    Hanna Park, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
  • This dynamic suppresses wages and distorts labor competition.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The local politicians like Mayor Wu who are staying mum are just compounding cronyism and degrading the livability of the neighborhood.
    Lou Murray, Boston Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The goal is to understand exactly how and why performance degrades over time.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In the past few years, the nation’s collective memory—never the strongest—has been relentlessly deformed by right-wing propaganda.
    Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025
  • The membrane bottleneck Most TFC membranes today can handle about 15-20 bar pressure before deforming.
    Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • As part of its tax-exempt status, the foundation is prohibited from endorsing political candidates and, generally, must be nonpartisan in its activities.
    Bill Barrow, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Michelle encourages people to not just wear the color pink or purchase products at the register, but to ensure the foundations and organizations receiving your money actually use it to support breast cancer research.
    Ariel Nagi, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • His supporters have argued that clips of the remarks, including one shared by DHS from the group MEMRI, were edited to misrepresent his intent.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Their false-ownership counterclaim — accusing Hill of misrepresenting authorship in copyright filings — survived an anti-SLAPP motion to strike in September 2024; Hill has appealed that ruling to the Ninth Circuit.
    Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Data centers deteriorate rapidly, unlike the more durable infrastructure of canals, railroads, or even fiber-optic cables.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 30 Oct. 2025
  • During an earnings call Wednesday, Lyons said Argentina’s deteriorating economic environment contributed to slowing growth and margin disappointment.
    Samantha Subin, CNBC, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Their hoods are covered with special plugs where 2,200 corals grown at the Miami Native Coral Lab in Allapattah will be screwed in.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025
  • And while the screw-on cap is comprised of BPA-free, durable, and food-safe polypropylene, Brandon recommends always hand-washing the tops and not leaving them out in the sun, as UV light can break down even the best plastics.
    Clay Abney, Travel + Leisure, 20 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Warp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warp. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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