distorted
Americanadjective
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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
Etymology
Origin of distorted
Explanation
If you have ever looked at yourself in a funhouse mirror, you probably saw an image that was quite distorted. Okay, so maybe your hair looked kind of weird that day, but your whole body wasn’t really that misshapen. This adjective is derived from the Latin verb distortus, which means “to twist different ways.” When something is distorted this can mean that it has been changed from the original form in any way. Someone can have a distorted worldview, or facts from an event can be distorted in the retelling. If a politician is misquoted in the newspaper, then it could be said that her opinion has been misrepresented or distorted by the media.
Vocabulary lists containing distorted
Twists and Turns: Tor
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Elie Wiesel's "Hope, Despair and Memory" (1986)
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"An Awful Human Trade," Vocabulary from the news article
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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 was almost impossible to hear the presentation because the volume was turned up so loud that the sound was distorted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
It’s a welcome outlier in terms of production on the set, with a growling, distorted guitar, but Ms. Abrams’s singing doesn’t match the ominous tone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
These properties can be arranged into topological structures, which are patterns that remain stable even when stretched or distorted.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
It’s a distorted hall of mirrors; you’re either perfect or your life is the worst in the world.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
The palace grounds beyond looked distorted, as if we were peering through frosted glass.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
