twisted
- 01 B1 Intermediate
bent or curled into a shape that is not natural or normal.
physically contorted or forced out of its natural shape or alignment.
Simple“The bicycle wheel was twisted after it hit the deep hole in the road.”
In context“The old oak tree had a twisted trunk that looked like it had been wrung like a wet towel over many centuries.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
having a mind or sense of humor that is strange, cruel, or unpleasant.
mentally or emotionally distorted; exhibiting a perverted or morbid sense of morality or humor.
Simple“He has a twisted sense of humor and laughs at things that aren't funny.”
In context“The villain in the film had a twisted logic, believing that his destructive actions were actually helping the city.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
made of several pieces of string or wire wound around each other.
composed of multiple strands or threads wound together to form a single cord or rope.
Simple“The sailor used a thick, twisted rope to tie the boat to the dock.”
In context“The necklace featured several twisted gold wires that caught the light from every angle.”
SynonymsAntonyms
The sense "intertwined" comes from twist (verb) by the late 15th century. The sense "mentally disturbed, perverted" is probably from twist (“mental peculiarity, perversion”, noun), which is attested by 1811.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.