as in to distort
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition the acrobat is able to contort his body so that it almost looks like a pretzel

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the verb contort contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of contort are deform, distort, and warp. While all these words mean "to mar or spoil by or as if by twisting," distort and contort both imply a wrenching from the natural or normal, but contort suggests a more involved twisting and a more grotesque and painful result.

the odd camera angle distorts the figure
disease had contorted her body

When could deform be used to replace contort?

While in some cases nearly identical to contort, deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth.

a face deformed by hatred

Where would warp be a reasonable alternative to contort?

The words warp and contort are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane.

warped floorboards

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contort At one point its images of a man hitting the nitrous button in his muscle car contorts as though his whole body is being pushed through a syringe. Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 25 Apr. 2025 The term hair-raising takes on new meaning as two performers contort their bodies high above the stage, connected only by their coiffures. Karen D'souza, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025 In a sport where athletes contort themselves into intricate positions, Hurd understands what her teammates want to see. Caroline Price, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 To strip her name from her and contort it into a term that is most often used to degrade artists who look like her is simply dehumanizing. Kyle Denis, Billboard, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contort
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contort
Verb
  • Noise can distort observations and introduce uncertainties into the data, Zhang said.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 6 June 2025
  • The history of financial regulation has clarified the problems with this approach, but somehow that history still gets badly distorted.
    Norbert Michel, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • What if the other side was deformed or even missing?
    Jim Carmichel, Outdoor Life, 5 June 2025
  • The tree resin then sank to the seafloor where it was covered by sediments, deforming the single fragments and preserving them as amber.
    David Bressan, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contort. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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