as in distorting
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition
the acrobat is able to contort his body so that it almost looks like a pretzel
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Recent Examples of contorting
The way Adult Swim’s slate of low-fi, off-kilter programming managed to interrupt the monotony of 2000s cable TV, Friedland’s show follows a familiar format while subtly contorting it.
—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2026
But the same dystopian phenomenon is contorting the whole labor market.
—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
2 June 2026
For more serious cavers who are at least 16 years old, this summer-only, four-hour tour requires crawling, climbing, and contorting.
—
Robert Annis,
Midwest Living,
14 May 2026
Despite the complex, stream-of-consciousness lyrics, hundreds of mouths could be seen contorting word-for-word with Springsteen’s, giving the show an intimate, local bar atmosphere.
—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Despite some obvious physical scarring and a seeming predilection for contorting her body in creepy ways, Katie seems pretty healthy, or so the Egyptian doctors tell her parents.
—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
Subtlety never stood a chance, with Cardi leaning fully into the chaos all night — chopping the air with her arms, sticking out her tongue, whipping her head, contorting her body, dropping into splits and backbends without warning.
—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Apr. 2026
But first and foremost, Bad Omens are gifted musicians, and whatever eldritch magic Sebastian wields onstage will always be bolstered by a serious band contorting metal, dark pop and electronic music.
—
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
In the first round of the 1993 tournament, against LSU Kidd’s drive through the lane and body-contorting, banker high off the backboard with one second left gave Cal a 66-64 win.
—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Mar. 2026
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
29 June 2026
But the same dystopian phenomenon is contorting the whole labor market.
—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
2 June 2026
For more serious cavers who are at least 16 years old, this summer-only, four-hour tour requires crawling, climbing, and contorting.
—
Robert Annis,
Midwest Living,
14 May 2026
Despite the complex, stream-of-consciousness lyrics, hundreds of mouths could be seen contorting word-for-word with Springsteen’s, giving the show an intimate, local bar atmosphere.
—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Apr. 2026
Despite some obvious physical scarring and a seeming predilection for contorting her body in creepy ways, Katie seems pretty healthy, or so the Egyptian doctors tell her parents.
—
Gregory Nussen,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
Subtlety never stood a chance, with Cardi leaning fully into the chaos all night — chopping the air with her arms, sticking out her tongue, whipping her head, contorting her body, dropping into splits and backbends without warning.
—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Apr. 2026
But first and foremost, Bad Omens are gifted musicians, and whatever eldritch magic Sebastian wields onstage will always be bolstered by a serious band contorting metal, dark pop and electronic music.
—
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
In the first round of the 1993 tournament, against LSU Kidd’s drive through the lane and body-contorting, banker high off the backboard with one second left gave Cal a 66-64 win.
—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contorting
Verb
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Weil writes of attention as a way of engaging with the world without the distorting lens of the ego.
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The orchid doubles in her view, the room around her distorting.
Verb
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When oil wells are shut in, the pressure underground can become imbalanced, deforming the underlying structure.
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Their atoms are held together by strong chemical bonds and arranged in a stable crystal structure that resists deforming, even at extreme temperatures.
Verb
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Henry Bernard Montgomery, 38, was arraigned Monday afternoon on one count of third-degree killing/torturing animals and given a $20,000 bond with a GPS tether.
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In fact, the disease has been torturing humans for at least 5,500 years, according to a study published today in the journal Nature .
Verb
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The breeze was screwing with the sound system, and the temperature dropped abruptly.
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America’s favorite sport is not football, or soccer, but screwing over sports fans, which is why FIFA should hold its World Cup in the United States permanently.
Verb
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Another great attempt by Cabral, another curling effort on a free kick, forced a remarkable save from Martínez to keep holding on to the one-goal lead.
-
This five-in-one gadget is for all your hair-curling and smoothing needs.
Cite this Entry
“Contorting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contorting. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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