Word
distort
Phoneticsdis·tort, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈstɔɹt/
UK/dɪstˈɔːt/
Definitions
01to change physical shape
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to pull or twist something out of its usual shape so that it looks strange.
v. to pull or twist something out of its original or natural shape. Transitive or intransitive use.
“The heat from the fire started to distort the plastic frame of the television.”
“The heavy gravitational pull of the planet began to distort the surrounding light, creating a visual effect known as gravitational lensing.”
Antonyms
02to misrepresent facts
C1 · Advanced Academic
v. to change facts or ideas so that they are no longer accurate or fair.
v. to give a false, perverted, or disproportionate account of something; to misrepresent facts or motives.
“The newspaper was accused of trying to distort the facts to sell more copies.”
“Critics argued that the documentary tended to distort the historical reality of the conflict by omitting key diplomatic perspectives.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03audio/visual signal
C1 · Advanced Science Technical
v. to change a sound or image signal so that it is not clear.
v. to alter the shape of a wave or signal during transmission or amplification, resulting in a loss of fidelity.
“The cheap speakers began to distort the music when I turned the volume up.”
“Atmospheric interference can significantly distort satellite signals, leading to errors in GPS positioning data if not properly corrected.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “distort” in context.
Verb
01. deliberately distort the facts
“The newspaper was criticized for choosing to deliberately distort the facts of the case.”
adv + verb
02. distort the image
“The curved glass will distort the image of anyone standing behind it.”
verb + noun
03. distort the truth
“The witness was accused of trying to distort the truth to protect his friend.”
verb + noun
Noun
04. tendency to distort
“The politician has a well-known tendency to distort statistics to suit his agenda.”
noun + infinitive
Adverb
05. grossly distort the reality
“The documentary was pulled from the air because it grossly distorted the reality of the situation.”
adv + verb
06. heavily distort the sound
“The guitarist used a pedal to heavily distort the sound of his instrument.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“It’s not perfect, however; studies have found that the curve of the page can distort text, and pages can be missed.” “This can, in turn, distort their expectations of real relationships.” Etymology
Borrowed from Latin distortum, past participle of distorqueō (“to twist, torture, distort”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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