warp 1 of 2

Definition of warpnext

warp

2 of 2

verb

1
2
3
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
Luckily for her, there’s Zach (Bryan Greenberg), a D&D aficionado who knows a thing or two about time-warp movies. Janey Tracey, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Dec. 2025 When all the gifts are bought, the elves at Raise the Future warp and ready them making sure that dreams come true this Christmas morning. Libby Smith, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
Verb
Musical instruments and wood furniture can warp and crack in cold, humid conditions. Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 25 Jan. 2026 The moon's outsized profiles appear subtly warped by their proximity to the horizon and the dark silhouettes of lunar maria (seas) can be picked out darkening its surface, where ancient lava once flowed into impact basins billions of years ago. Anthony Wood, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for warp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warp
Noun
  • Drummond’s office said the state’s outside attorneys are working on a contingency basis, so no fees will be paid unless the state recovers something through a judgment or settlement.
    Paul Monies, Oklahoma Watch, 3 Feb. 2026
  • Surely there’s some way to pit these guys against each other, to stoke the fan bases, to brew a rivalry for the ages.
    Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Likewise, Guy Wolf, global head of market analytics at global financial services platform Marex, signaled that the price action in parts of the precious-metals complex has become increasingly distorted.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
  • For years, social networks have been plagued by bot accounts which typically mimic human engagement to do things like pump cryptocurrency prices or distort public perception through amplifying hate speech.
    Anna Tong, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • These gaps are weak spots that can spread inward, causing the crystal structure to degrade and ultimately reduce the cell’s efficiency.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The issue has intensified in recent years and is only set to get worse, as the relentless expansion of urban centres brings artificial light further into the countryside, permeating and degrading our view of the heavens.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Conventional drones hit their limits at around 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius) as their frame deforms and electronics fail.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026
  • American bases built inside the ice sheet, such as Camp Century, were quickly crushed as the encasing snow deformed.
    Paul Bierman, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Beyond the hotel itself, Faena Art—the brand’s nonprofit foundation—anchors this cultural ethos.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Here are the first things designers would touch first in kitchen remodels to give you an excellent foundation to start with.
    Ashlyn Needham, The Spruce, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Too often, the contributions of African Americans have been minimized, misrepresented, or erased altogether.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 1 Feb. 2026
  • Borrower Defense is a discharge program for federal student loans that allows borrowers to request cancellation on the basis of certain forms of school misconduct, such as misrepresenting admissions selectivity or program costs, or lying about graduate earnings and career prospects.
    Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Travel conditions are expected to deteriorate rapidly once snow begins, and hazardous conditions could persist into Sunday morning before snow tapers off.
    Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Travel conditions could deteriorate rapidly as early as Friday evening.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Basically, our government helped the rich get richer while working families got screwed.
    Ana María Archila, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026
  • There are other complications, of course — typical Marvel stuff — but even without them, Simon is still screwed.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 27 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Warp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warp. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.

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