Distort
/dɪˈstɔːrt/
Definitions
To twist or change the natural shape, appearance, or sound of something; to misrepresent facts or ideas.
/dɪˈstɔːrt/
To change something from its natural, original, or intended shape or condition; to twist or misrepresent the facts.
The extreme heat distorted the metal of the car.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're playing a game of telephone, where one person whispers a sentence, and it gets changed by the end. Distort means to change something, whether a picture, a story, or even a sound, so that it's not how it originally was. Think of a funhouse mirror, where your reflection looks all stretched out!
👶 For kids: To change something so it's not the same anymore, like squishing a balloon so it's a funny shape.
More Examples
The politician distorted the facts to gain support.
The artist deliberately distorted the proportions of the figure to create a surreal effect.
The company’s marketing campaign attempted to distort the public's perception of its products.
How It's Used
"The news often distorts the truth to sensationalize events."
"The artist distorted the human form to convey a sense of unease."
"His anger distorted his ability to communicate rationally."
Idioms & expressions
distort the truth
To misrepresent or twist the facts to create a false impression.
"The media was accused of distorting the truth to sensationalize the story."
From Latin *distorquēre* meaning 'to twist away, contort'.
Historically used in contexts relating to physical contortion and later, to the misrepresentation of information.
Memory tip
Imagine a funhouse mirror that distorts your reflection – it twists your image!
Word Origin
"to twist"