twisted

American

[twis-tid] / ˈtwɪs tɪd /

adjective

interwoven or combined by winding together, as strands or threads; formed in this way.

It was Roebling who invented the twisted wire cable used in bridge supports.
altered in shape by turning the ends in opposite directions, forming a spiral.

To remove an object from inside the lower eyelid, wet the end of a twisted piece of tissue and touch it to the object.
turned sharply or wrenched out of place; injured in this way.

I hadn't touched a skateboard in almost a year because of a twisted ankle.
(of a person’s features) distorted or contorted by tensing or contracting the facial muscles.

He made a twisted face as he bent down to look at the disgusting mess.
(of words) having the meaning distorted or perverted.

It is a sad day when outright lies and twisted words triumph over truth.
mentally or emotionally distorted; warped.

It's perverse logic, but it explains how someone with a twisted mind can have a clear conscience.
tortuously bent out of shape.

The twisted steel wreckage of the sunken ship can be seen in this sonar image.
taking a winding, curving, or bending course.

Twisted vines curl, bend, and overlap while growing side by side.
It's by a long and twisted path that I've been led to this moment.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of twist.

Other Word Forms

twistedly

adverb

Etymology

Origin of twisted

twist ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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 blackened mattress, a twisted bicycle, a crushed sofa and toys protrude between two stacked concrete slabs.

From Barron's • Jul. 4, 2026

Video footage of the first boy, named as Moises, showed him being pulled from the twisted debris - his eyes covered to protect them from the sun - to the applause of rescuers.

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026

Wings guard Odyssey Sims left the court in a wheelchair in the second quarter after she twisted her left ankle coming down from a rebound attempt; she didn’t return.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2026

Then, in the second quarter, Spurs center Luke Kornet crashed into him shortly after his return, leaving Brunson limping badly on a twisted ankle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

The vines twisted around the corners and the star at the center moved like a compass.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

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