Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for distort

distort

[ dih-stawrt ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to twist awry or out of shape; make crooked or deformed:

    Arthritis had distorted his fingers.

  2. to give a false, perverted, or disproportionate meaning to; misrepresent:

    to distort the facts.

    Synonyms: misstate, falsify, twist, misconstrue, pervert

  3. Electronics. to reproduce or amplify (a signal) inaccurately by changing the frequencies or unequally changing the delay or amplitude of the components of the output wave.


distort

/ dɪˈstɔːt /

verb

  1. often passive to twist or pull out of shape; make bent or misshapen; contort; deform
  2. to alter or misrepresent (facts, motives, etc)
  3. electronics to reproduce or amplify (a signal) inaccurately, changing the shape of the waveform
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


Discover More

Derived Forms

  • disˈtortedly, adverb
  • disˈtorted, adjective
  • disˈtortedness, noun
  • disˈtorter, noun
  • disˈtortive, adjective
Discover More

Other Words From

  • dis·torter noun
  • dis·tortive adjective
  • nondis·torting adjective
  • nondis·torting·ly adverb
  • nondis·tortive adjective
  • over·dis·tort verb (used with object)
  • undis·torting adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of distort1

1580–90; from Latin distortus (past participle of distorquēre “to distort”), equivalent to dis- dis- 1 + tor(qu)- (stem of torquēre “to twist”) + -tus past participle suffix
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of distort1

C16: from Latin distortus misshapen, from distorquēre to turn different ways, from dis- 1+ torquēre to twist
Discover More

Synonym Study

Discover More

Example Sentences

The decisions we make about where to live are distorted not just by politics that play down climate risks, but also by expensive subsidies and incentives aimed at defying nature.

Earlier studies about digital contact tracing have been widely distorted.

Because these new constellations are being deployed in lower orbits, they’re much brighter, leaving behind long bright streaks on the image and sometimes distorting other parts of the data.

They take a scientific pose to gain your confidence and then distort the facts to their own purposes.

That concept of distorting perception was important, Ginzel said.

And would-be collectors like Henry Stephenson continue to distort the cultural record in their hunt for hidden treasures.

Saying a word in a different tone can distort or utterly mangle a line.

Hollywood would never grossly distort the Civil War or D-Day.

Or, they could distort the contents of the bill and attack anyone who disagreed with them as a legal Luddite and hysteric.

I have witnessed at first hand how Irving likes to distort things.

The temptation to distort facts to make a good story is strong; I have seen it in my connection with the 'Courier.'

Shakspere's contemporaries don't imitate Nature, they distort it, give Passion, and no Reason.

Wherefore then should grief sadden and distort such blythe, such jocund, features as mine?

What he wants is not an enlightened and truthful agent, but a man who will distort the truth to suit his prejudices.

Such a wire must be a little slack, or, as illustrated above, it will distort the framework.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


distomatosisdistorted