contorted

[kuhn-tawr-tid]

adjective

1. twisted in a violent manner; distorted.

2. twisted back on itself; convoluted.

contorted

/ kənˈtɔːtɪd /

adjective

1. twisted out of shape

2. (esp of petals and sepals in a bud) twisted so that they overlap on one side

Other Word Forms

• contortedness noun
• contortedly adverb
• intercontorted adjective
• uncontorted adjective
• uncontortedly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of contorted¹

First recorded in 1615–25; contort + -ed ²

Example Sentences

“I actually find him really small and contorted and tortured.”

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When we see him finally being moved, he is contorted in his bed from the pain, clutching onto a sick bowl.

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The indictment detailed the torture of several prisoners, including one identified by the initials K.A.M., whose body Sheikh, prison officials and prison guards allegedly contorted on the “flying carpet” device.

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For more than an hour, I had twisted and contorted myself trying without success to get a grip on that two-inch piece of silicone.

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“She bounded around with so many positions and backtracked and so desperately contorted ... . She is more consistent now than she was then.”

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Related Words

• curved www.thesaurus.com
• curving www.thesaurus.com
• devious 
• errant 
• gnarled 
• meandering 
• serpentine 
• sinuous 
• twisted 
• twisting 
• winding