# distorted

/dɪˈstɔɹtəd/ (US) · /dɪstˈɔːtɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/distorted
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. out of shape

adjective · CEFR B2

twisted or pulled out of its natural, normal shape so that it looks strange.

For teachers: physically misshapen or deformed; having a shape that is twisted away from its original or natural state.

- The reflection in the old, curved mirror looked distorted and strange.
- The heat from the fire left the plastic casing distorted, making it impossible to fit the pieces back together correctly.

### 2. false or misleading

adjective · CEFR B2

changed in a way that makes something untrue or hard to understand, like a story or a sound.

For teachers: misrepresented or altered so as to lose accuracy; often applied to facts, statistics, or electronic signals.

- The newspaper gave a distorted account of what actually happened at the protest.
- The witness provided a distorted version of the events, likely influenced by the leading questions asked during the initial interview.

### 3. past action of changing shape

verb · CEFR B2

the past tense of 'distort' — when something was pulled out of shape or changed to be untrue.

For teachers: the past tense and past participle of the transitive verb 'distort', indicating the completed action of twisting or misrepresenting.

- The loud music distorted the sound coming through the small speakers.
- The heavy gravitational pull of the star distorted the path of the light passing near it, a phenomenon predicted by general relativity.

## Examples

- The old mirror made my reflection look distorted.
- The guitar player used a pedal to create a distorted sound that suited the heavy rock music.
- The witness's account was so distorted by personal bias and the passage of time that the jury found it difficult to establish a clear timeline of events.

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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.