distort

[ dih-stawrt ]

verb (used with object)

1. to twist awry or out of shape; make crooked or deformed:

   Arthritis had distorted his fingers.

2. to give a false, perverted, or disproportionate meaning to; misrepresent:

   to distort the facts.

   Synonyms: misstate, falsify, twist, misconstrue, pervert

3. Electronics. to reproduce or amplify (a signal) inaccurately by changing the frequencies or unequally changing the delay or amplitude of the components of the output wave.

distort

/ dɪˈstɔːt /

verb

1. often passive to twist or pull out of shape; make bent or misshapen; contort; deform
2. to alter or misrepresent (facts, motives, etc)
3. electronics to reproduce or amplify (a signal) inaccurately, changing the shape of the waveform

Derived Forms

• disˈtortedly, adverb
• disˈtorted, adjective
• disˈtortedness, noun
• disˈtorter, noun
• disˈtortive, adjective

Other Words From

• dis·torter noun
• dis·tortive adjective
• nondis·torting adjective
• nondis·torting·ly adverb
• nondis·tortive adjective
• over·dis·tort verb (used with object)
• undis·torting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of distort¹

1580–90; from Latin distortus (past participle of distorquēre “to distort”), equivalent to dis- dis- ¹ + tor(qu)- (stem of torquēre “to twist”) + -tus past participle suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of distort¹

C16: from Latin distortus misshapen, from distorquēre to turn different ways, from dis- ¹+ torquēre to twist

Synonym Study

See misrepresent.

Example Sentences

Not only does this set unrealistic expectations for what constitutes a happy or successful life, but it can distort our view of previous eras.

From Slate

The EFL believes the payments - worth tens of millions of pounds to relegated clubs - distort competition and encourage reckless spending among Championship clubs.

From BBC

During the vote, the president's national security adviser said there had been "massive interference" from Russia in Moldova's electoral process that had "high potential to distort the outcome".

From BBC

The EFL believes the payments - worth tens of millions of pounds to relegated clubs - distort competition and wants them scrapped so that it gets a greater share of the wealth generated by the top flight.

From BBC

The M4 is the largest deformable mirror ever made and will be able to change shape 1,000 times per second to correct for atmospheric turbulence and the vibrations of the telescope itself that could otherwise distort imagery.

From BBC

Related Words

• alter
• belie
• deceive
• disfigure
• mangle
• misconstrue
• misinterpret
• misrepresent
• pervert
• twist
• warp