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

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
Fabrics are woven using longitudinal and latitudinal threads called warp and weft, respectively. Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026 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
Verb
The nail seemed to have expanded and warped and stiffened. Kate Crane, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026 The closer that light passes to the warping object, or gravitational lens, the more strongly its otherwise straight path gets curved. Robert Lea, Space.com, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for warp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warp
Noun
  • Hershman has been serving in the role on an interim basis since December.
    Jenna Carlesso, Hartford Courant, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Wells Fargo's Efficiency Ratio came in a bit higher than expected, but still indicated significant improvement, with a year-over-year decline of 2 percentage points, or 200-basis-points (a lower number is better here).
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • For Wagner specifically, time feels distorted.
    Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Obadia sees the Optimus question as evidence of how the racial framing itself distorts perception.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Summary sourcing, however, degraded with Gemini 3.
    Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Israel appears to have taken the lead on assassinating even low-level figures linked to Iran’s nuclear program while systematically degrading the knowledge centers that could prove useful in the future.
    Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Kinks are critical in determining where a material deforms, appearing in situations such as metals bending permanently or DNA strands separating.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Don’t forget the gasp-inducing images of dicks mangled by one Dr. Loria in New York City, who has proudly refused malpractice insurance but allegedly left a number of men deformed after pumping them up with chunky-looking filler.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Oligarchs scooped up major publications and donated them to a consolidated media foundation, co-opting the free press and turning it into the Prime Minister’s bullhorn.
    Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
  • The foundation of the home was uncovered in 2000 as the city prepared to relocate the Liberty Bell.
    Joe Brandt, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Ramsey’s attorneys said there are gaps in the case prosecutors presented to the grand jury, including by misrepresenting what the witness reported in the 911 call, and attorney Alfredo Parrish said the grand jury even pushed back.
    ABC News, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party said Cheng has misrepresented Taiwanese public opinion in her trip to China and accused the KMT of undermining national security.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Despite his professional success, his home life deteriorates, particularly his relationship with his daughter.
    Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The lawsuit says the hospital did not tell his family that Hylton’s condition had deteriorated and that he had been transferred to the ICU without a doctor on-site.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Semi-screwed There’s a world in which Colby was the most screwed over by the rock draw — because Dee and Emily are friends who already played together, and both were aligned with Cirie — but that world is one in which he was not injured and likely limping out of the game anyway.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Apr. 2026
  • As if she’d been presented with a tidy, screw-like riddle from the Sphynx.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Warp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warp. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

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