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

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.

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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.

A genuine concern for lives distorted by unreformed welfare programs can make those accusations sound empty.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

The data are there, he points out, but they are often concealed or distorted.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

Newly reactivated jets from the black hole are pushing outward, only to be distorted and compressed by the intense pressure of the massive galaxy cluster surrounding it.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

"Recent reporting of the meeting is highly exaggerated and distorted," the Pentagon said on X. "The meeting between Pentagon and Vatican officials was a respectful and reasonable discussion."

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

He noted the distorted look of Kelly’s right eye as it appeared through his watchmaker’s loupe.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers

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