# distort

/dɪˈstɔɹt/ (US) · /dɪstˈɔːt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/distort
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to change physical shape

verb · CEFR B2

to pull or twist something out of its usual shape so that it looks strange.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. to misrepresent facts

verb · CEFR C1 · Academic

to change facts or ideas so that they are no longer accurate or fair.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. audio/visual signal

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to change a sound or image signal so that it is not clear.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The old mirror distorts my reflection.
- The politician was accused of trying to distort the facts to win more votes.
- High levels of electronic interference can significantly distort the signal, leading to a complete loss of data integrity during the transmission process.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.