as in deformation
the twisting of something out of its natural or normal shape or condition
the comedian is renowned for his seemingly endless variety of facial contortions
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Recent Examples of contortion
There are nods to Linda Blair’s Regan in the sludgy projectile vomit that pours out of Katie, as well as the animalistic scampering, bodily contortions and levitation.
—
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Wild performances kept the party going all night, with burlesque dancing from Violent Delights and Candace Cane, the latter of whom also did contortion.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026
As the Supreme Court sets out to untangle State Farm’s latest legal contortions, the cases will continue to pile up.
—J.c. Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 31 Mar. 2026
Perhaps Gartside chose music as his medium for working out his relentless questions because of its power to sidestep the analytical mind’s reflexive contortions and speak directly to the heart.
—Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
Recently, Boston Dynamics explained Atlas’s uncanny ground-recovery move, revealing why the humanoid rises with contortions rather than standing upright.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
And this is not to shame the act of contortion.
—Caroline Rothstein, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
The bodies had signs of binding the hands and feet, contortion of limbs, cut off fingertips and disfigured heads, according to Kaki.
—ABC News, 31 Oct. 2025
The incidents highlight the contortions of the Taliban four years after seizing power of Afghanistan.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Wild performances kept the party going all night, with burlesque dancing from Violent Delights and Candace Cane, the latter of whom also did contortion.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 6 Apr. 2026
As the Supreme Court sets out to untangle State Farm’s latest legal contortions, the cases will continue to pile up.
—J.c. Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 31 Mar. 2026
Perhaps Gartside chose music as his medium for working out his relentless questions because of its power to sidestep the analytical mind’s reflexive contortions and speak directly to the heart.
—Andy Cush, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2026
Recently, Boston Dynamics explained Atlas’s uncanny ground-recovery move, revealing why the humanoid rises with contortions rather than standing upright.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
And this is not to shame the act of contortion.
—Caroline Rothstein, InStyle, 30 Dec. 2025
The bodies had signs of binding the hands and feet, contortion of limbs, cut off fingertips and disfigured heads, according to Kaki.
—ABC News, 31 Oct. 2025
The incidents highlight the contortions of the Taliban four years after seizing power of Afghanistan.
—NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contortion
Noun
-
The design also features guide tubes made of Q12 alloy to resist fuel assembly bowing and lateral deformation.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
-
This deformation and discoloration are attributed to the excessive heat some bricks experience in the firing process.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Well, first of all, the news distortion stuff is also nonsense, right?—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The other is a deliberate distortion.—
Baltimore Sun,
Twin Cities,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The toebox’s square shape is also particularly accommodating for bunion deformities.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The Romans did not share our sensibilities about gender or deformity.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Contortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contortion. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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