distorted; distorting; distorts
1
: to twist (see twist entry 1 sense 3b) out of the true meaning or proportion : to alter to give a false or unnatural picture or account
distorted the facts
2
: to twist out of a natural, normal, or original shape or condition
a face distorted by pain
also
: to cause to be perceived unnaturally
the new lights distorted colors
The singer's voice was electronically distorted.
3
: pervert
distort justice
: to become distorted
Heat caused the wax figures to distort.
also
: to cause a twisting from the true, natural, or normal
distorter
noun
Synonyms
Examples of distort in a Sentence
Her face was distorted by pain.
The odd camera angle distorted her figure in the photograph.
The sound of the guitar was distorted.
Heat caused the plastic to distort.
She felt he was distorting the facts.
The story was distorted by the press.
The loss of both her parents at an early age distorted her outlook on life.
Recent Examples on the Web
To distort the true picture of their progress, others might even try deliberately publishing misleading research, with AI assisting in the creation of convincing fabrications.
—
Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Topographic features on Earth’s surface, such as mountains and deep-sea trenches, also distort its shape slightly.
—Discover Magazine, 15 Nov. 2024
And yet felony disenfranchisement laws, in conjunction with mass incarceration, continue to distort our democracy by preventing millions of citizens—disproportionately Black and brown—from participating in our democracy.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
The Harris-Walz proposal looks to expand government safety nets and institute new regulation that is likely to further distort market dynamics.
—Rita Numerof, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distort 
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Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
Topographic features on Earth’s surface, such as mountains and deep-sea trenches, also distort its shape slightly.
—Discover Magazine, 15 Nov. 2024
And yet felony disenfranchisement laws, in conjunction with mass incarceration, continue to distort our democracy by preventing millions of citizens—disproportionately Black and brown—from participating in our democracy.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
The Harris-Walz proposal looks to expand government safety nets and institute new regulation that is likely to further distort market dynamics.
—Rita Numerof, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distort
Dictionary Entries Near distort
Cite this Entry
“Distort.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distort. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
distort
verb
dis·tort
dis-ˈtȯ(ə)rt 
1
: to tell in a way that is misleading : misrepresent
distorted the facts
2
: to twist out of a natural, normal, or original shape or condition
distorter
noun
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