Synonyms

distorted

American

[dih-stawr-tid] / dɪˈstɔr tɪd /

adjective

not truly or completely representing the facts or reality; misrepresented; false.

She has a distorted view of life.
twisted; deformed; misshapen.
mentally or morally twisted, as with an aberration or bias.

He has a distorted sense of values.

Other Word Forms

distortedly adverb
distortedness noun
nondistorted adjective
nondistortedly adverb
nondistortedness noun
undistorted adjective
undistortedly adverb

Etymology

Origin of distorted

First recorded in 1625–35; distort + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It’s a cracked mirror, with each fragment revealing a different, distorted image of the human psyche — and it’s really funny, too.

From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026

The dip was distorted by labor strikes, but it raises an important question: Can healthcare keep the economy healthy?

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 22, 2026

"This is a crucial moment: with global markets distorted by overcapacity and subsidy, a clear and ambitious domestic strategy is exactly what is required to ensure steelmaking not only survives in the UK but thrives."

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Some proposed that underground salt movement distorted the rock layers and created the structure.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026

Or was it ugly and disgusting, because it had been left too near the stove once, and so its side was scorched and melted and distorted, and it should have been thrown away years ago?

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023