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

Synonym Chooser

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 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 The system's extra size also allows for Joy-Cons that are expanded just enough to be much better suited for adult hands, with much less need for grown-ups to contort into a claw-like grip just to get a solid hold. ArsTechnica, 3 Apr. 2025 Nearly a century and a half later spoke, hordes of corporate lobbyists still seek to contort the tariff schedule every which way for their respective employers’ narrow benefit. David B. McGarry, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contort
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contort
Verb
  • The cell phone camera has become both the tool humans use to perform and the reason that performance distorts even further in the eyes of others.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 May 2025
  • Unfortunately, this racial lens merely distorts the rivalry narrative, transforming what should be celebrated as an engaging competitive dynamic into something unnecessarily contentious.
    Lindsey Darvin, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Verb
  • This activity, characterized by a feature called a corona, may be deforming the planet’s surface in a way similar to events in Earth’s past.
    Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 14 May 2025
  • The analysis revealed that the mantle beneath the near versus the far side of the moon has a difference in its ability to deform—one of about 2–3 percent.
    Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contort. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.

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