verb
Uncommon
distort
dihs-TAWT
Distort (verb) means to twist something out of its normal shape. Example: “The heat began to distort the plastic frame.”
verb
1
To twist something out of its normal shape.
"The heat began to distort the plastic frame."
"A fisheye lens distorts the edges of the image."
2
To give a false or misleading version of the truth.
"The article distorted what the scientist had actually said."
How to use distort
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo warp something's shape, or twist the truth so it becomes misleading.
Common pairings
distort the truth
distort the image
distort reality
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- distorts
- Past tense
- distorted
- Comparative
- more distort
- Superlative
- most distort
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The heat began to _____ the plastic frame.
Etymology
From Latin distortum, the past participle of distorquēre, "to twist" or "to torture" — combining dis- ("apart") with torquēre ("to twist"), the same root that gives us torque and torture.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “distort” mean?
The word “distort” means to twist something out of its normal shape. In plain terms, to warp something's shape, or twist the truth so it becomes misleading.
How do you pronounce “distort”?
“Distort” is pronounced dihs-TAWT (/dɪsˈtoɹt/ in IPA).
How do you use “distort” in a sentence?
Here is “distort” used in a sentence: “The heat began to distort the plastic frame.”
What part of speech is “distort”?
“Distort” is a verb.
Where does the word “distort” come from?
The word “distort” comes from Latin. From Latin distortum, the past participle of distorquēre, "to twist" or "to torture" — combining dis- ("apart") with torquēre ("to twist"), the same root that gives us torque and torture.
Is “distort” a common word?
“Distort” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “distort” have?
“Distort” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to twist something out of its normal shape.
