contortion

[kuhn-tawr-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or process of contorting.

2. the state of being contorted. contorted.

3. a contorted contorted position.

4. something contorted contorted or twisted, as in position or meaning.

   His account of the incident was a complete contortion of fact.

contortion

/ kənˈtɔːʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of contorting or the state of being contorted

2. a twisted shape or position

3. something twisted or out of the ordinary in character, meaning, etc

   mental contortions

Other Word Forms

• contortional adjective
• contortioned adjective
• uncontortioned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of contortion¹

1605–15; < Latin contortiōn- (stem of contortiō ) a whirling around. See contort, -ion

Example Sentences

But there is something else going on here which amplifies the jitters within Labour and causes contortions and anguish for others here at Westminster.

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Today's Supreme Court ruling may, just may, calm a political row that has produced all sorts of verbal contortions, particularly from Sir Keir Starmer.

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In a sport where her contortions are magic, she lay curled up in a ball.

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While watching the final round in the Bahamas, Woods described Scheffler's unconventional footwork as "the contortions he gets into" but could not hide his admiration for the quality and control of the champion's ball striking.

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But it also highlights some of the policy contortions carried out by Washington: first trying to pressure Israel and its adversaries not to escalate the war, instead urging diplomacy.

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Related Words

• deformation 
• deformity