Distort
verb
To change the shape or look of something in a way that is not usual or natural.
The mirror distorts the reflection of the room.
Often appears as...
- distort reality
- distort image
verb
To present information in a way that is misleading or not true.
He is accused of distorting the facts to make his argument look stronger.
Often appears as...
- distort truth
- distort facts
verb
In electronics, to cause an audio signal to become unclear or less pure.
When the volume is too high, it can distort the sound.
Often appears as...
- distort signal
- distort sound
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To change the shape or look of something in a way that is not usual or natural.
The mirror distorts the reflection of the room.
Often appears as...
- distort reality
- distort image
verb
To present information in a way that is misleading or not true.
He is accused of distorting the facts to make his argument look stronger.
Often appears as...
- distort truth
- distort facts
verb
In electronics, to cause an audio signal to become unclear or less pure.
When the volume is too high, it can distort the sound.
Often appears as...
- distort signal
- distort sound
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Visual Alteration
Use 'distort' when something appears changed, such as in funhouse mirrors or heatwaves.
Heatwaves on the road distort the view, making it look wavy.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Negative
'Distort' doesn't always mean bad; artists may intentionally distort shapes for effect.
The sculpture's distorted figures challenge our perception of beauty.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Distortion
Feelings can 'distort' someone's view, making situations seem different than they are.
Jealousy can distort your understanding of a friend's actions.
Compare with
alterdeformfalsifymanglemisrepresentpervertskewtwistwarp
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Video examples
Your elusive creative...
to believe that he or she is like, the vessel, you know, like the font and the essence and the source of all divine, creative, unknowable, eternal mystery is just a smidge too much responsibility to put on one fragile, human psyche. It's like asking somebody to swallow the sun. It just completely warps and distorts egos,
Video examples
The brain in love PIPE...
and a perfectly horrible addiction when it's going poorly. And indeed, it has all of the characteristics of addiction. You focus on the person, you obsessively think about them, you crave them, you distort reality, your willingness to take enormous risks to win this person. And it's got the three main characteristics of
Video examples
The climate change...
the problem in the first place leads me to three wee liberals can be our own worst enemy sometimes we think we own the high moral ground and that tends to cause us to disrespect and demonize people who are not part of the choir it also leads to a somewhat distorted worldview we're being right is
Video examples
How to practice...
Loneliness creates a deep psychological wound, one that distorts our perceptions and scrambles our thinking. It makes us believe that those around us care much less than they actually do. It make us really afraid to reach out, because why set yourself up for rejection and heartache
Video examples
The riddle of experience...
And those are two very different concepts, and they're both lumped in the notion of happiness. And the third is the focusing illusion, and it's the unfortunate fact that we can't think about any circumstance that affects well-being without distorting its importance.
Video examples
This tool will help...
Historians believe he was deeply critical of Athens’ particular brand of democracy, and known to pass those concerns onto his followers. These subversive beliefs were distorted in public forums and thought to have inspired two of his pupils to treasonous ends.
Video examples
Is math discovered or...
Human product or natural, possibly divine, creation? These questions are so deep the debate often becomes spiritual in nature. The answer might depend on the specific concept being looked at, but it can all feel like a distorted zen koan.
Video examples
How reliable is your...
you can distort or contaminate or change their memory. Well out there in the real world, misinformation is everywhere. We get misinformation not only if we're questioned in a leading way, but if we talk to other witnesses
Video examples
How did the Hammerhead...
occasionally one of these mutants does survive and the whole new species is born was the first hammerhead one of these one-in-a-million freaks could its hideously distorted head have opened up a whole new way of life
Video examples
Black Holes PIPE National...
there are places in the universe where gravity dramatically distorts space-time
Video examples
Your elusive creative...
to believe that he or she is like, the vessel, you know, like the font and the essence and the source of all divine, creative, unknowable, eternal mystery is just a smidge too much responsibility to put on one fragile, human psyche. It's like asking somebody to swallow the sun. It just completely warps and distorts egos,
Video examples
The brain in love PIPE...
and a perfectly horrible addiction when it's going poorly. And indeed, it has all of the characteristics of addiction. You focus on the person, you obsessively think about them, you crave them, you distort reality, your willingness to take enormous risks to win this person. And it's got the three main characteristics of
Video examples
The climate change...
the problem in the first place leads me to three wee liberals can be our own worst enemy sometimes we think we own the high moral ground and that tends to cause us to disrespect and demonize people who are not part of the choir it also leads to a somewhat distorted worldview we're being right is
Video examples
How to practice...
Loneliness creates a deep psychological wound, one that distorts our perceptions and scrambles our thinking. It makes us believe that those around us care much less than they actually do. It make us really afraid to reach out, because why set yourself up for rejection and heartache
Video examples
The riddle of experience...
And those are two very different concepts, and they're both lumped in the notion of happiness. And the third is the focusing illusion, and it's the unfortunate fact that we can't think about any circumstance that affects well-being without distorting its importance.
Video examples
This tool will help...
Historians believe he was deeply critical of Athens’ particular brand of democracy, and known to pass those concerns onto his followers. These subversive beliefs were distorted in public forums and thought to have inspired two of his pupils to treasonous ends.
Video examples
Is math discovered or...
Human product or natural, possibly divine, creation? These questions are so deep the debate often becomes spiritual in nature. The answer might depend on the specific concept being looked at, but it can all feel like a distorted zen koan.
Video examples
How reliable is your...
you can distort or contaminate or change their memory. Well out there in the real world, misinformation is everywhere. We get misinformation not only if we're questioned in a leading way, but if we talk to other witnesses
Video examples
How did the Hammerhead...
occasionally one of these mutants does survive and the whole new species is born was the first hammerhead one of these one-in-a-million freaks could its hideously distorted head have opened up a whole new way of life
Video examples
Black Holes PIPE National...
there are places in the universe where gravity dramatically distorts space-time
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Khaled Hosseini
Afghani Novelist
You write because you have an idea in your mind that feels so genuine, so important, so true. And yet, by the time this idea passes through the different filters of your mind, and into your hand, and onto the page or computer screen - it becomes distorted, and it's been diminished.
Quote examples
Paramahansa Yogananda
Indian Leader
This life is not man's own show; if he becomes personally and emotionally involved in the very complicated cosmic drama, he reaps inevitable suffering for having distorted the divine 'plot.
Quote examples
Bertrand Russell
British Philosopher
Those who forget good and evil and seek only to know the facts are more likely to achieve good than those who view the world through the distorting medium of their own desires.
Quote examples
James Vincent McMorrow
Irish Musician
You can batter your guitar, and it won't distort too much, which is important for me because I play with my hands a lot - I don't really play with picks.
Quote examples
John Bradshaw
American Philosopher
It's essential to tell the truth at all times. This will reduce life's pain. Lying distorts reality. All forms of distorted thinking must be corrected.
Quote examples
Jason Chaffetz
American Politician
High tax rates distort economic decision making, and our corporate income tax rate is one of the highest in the world.
Quote examples
Laura van den Berg
American Writer
In my own life, I have found grief to be enormously distorting, particularly if it's sudden or extreme in nature.
Quote examples
Hillary Clinton
American Politician
There hasn't been anybody whose life has been picked apart and distorted as much as mine.
Quote examples
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Indian Statesman
Science is a beautiful gift to humanity; we should not distort it.
Quote examples
Georg C. Lichtenberg
German Scientist
The most dangerous untruths are truths slightly distorted.
Quote examples
Khaled Hosseini
Afghani Novelist
You write because you have an idea in your mind that feels so genuine, so important, so true. And yet, by the time this idea passes through the different filters of your mind, and into your hand, and onto the page or computer screen - it becomes distorted, and it's been diminished.
Quote examples
Paramahansa Yogananda
Indian Leader
This life is not man's own show; if he becomes personally and emotionally involved in the very complicated cosmic drama, he reaps inevitable suffering for having distorted the divine 'plot.
Quote examples
Bertrand Russell
British Philosopher
Those who forget good and evil and seek only to know the facts are more likely to achieve good than those who view the world through the distorting medium of their own desires.
Quote examples
James Vincent McMorrow
Irish Musician
You can batter your guitar, and it won't distort too much, which is important for me because I play with my hands a lot - I don't really play with picks.
Quote examples
John Bradshaw
American Philosopher
It's essential to tell the truth at all times. This will reduce life's pain. Lying distorts reality. All forms of distorted thinking must be corrected.
Quote examples
Jason Chaffetz
American Politician
High tax rates distort economic decision making, and our corporate income tax rate is one of the highest in the world.
Quote examples
Laura van den Berg
American Writer
In my own life, I have found grief to be enormously distorting, particularly if it's sudden or extreme in nature.
Quote examples
Hillary Clinton
American Politician
There hasn't been anybody whose life has been picked apart and distorted as much as mine.
Quote examples
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Indian Statesman
Science is a beautiful gift to humanity; we should not distort it.
Quote examples
Georg C. Lichtenberg
German Scientist
The most dangerous untruths are truths slightly distorted.
Example 1 of 10
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