distort

/dɪˈstɔːt/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈstɔːrt/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈstȯrt/ (ame, mw)

distort — verb

  • distortpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • distortshe / she / it
  • distortedpast simple
  • distorting-ing form

1. to cause a physical object or part of the body to take a twisted, bent, or unnat

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to cause a physical object or part of the body to take a twisted, bent, or unnatural shape that is different from its normal form

例句

The intense heat from the fire had distorted the metal railings on the balcony.

passive: distort + physical object caused by heat

Hassan's face distorted into a grimace when he bit into the unripe lemon.

intransitive: body part distorts as a reaction

同義詞
  • twist

    more general; can mean turning something, not necessarily making it look unnatural

  • warp

    often used for flat materials like wood or metal bending out of shape

  • deform

    stronger negative connotation; suggests damage or ugliness

反義詞

文法句型

distort + object (physical object or body part)

distort + intransitive (subject changes shape on its own)

用法筆記

This sense can be used transitively (someone distorts an object) or intransitively (an object distorts by itself from heat, pressure, or other forces). The intransitive use often describes a natural or accidental process rather than a deliberate action.

常見錯誤

❌The heat destroyed the plastic frames.
✅The heat distorted the plastic frames.
💡'destroy' means broken beyond use; 'distort' means the shape changed but the item may still be usable.

2. to present facts, information, or someone's words in a way that changes their tr

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to present facts, information, or someone's words in a way that changes their true meaning, often intentionally and in order to deceive people

例句

The journalist was accused of deliberately distorting the politician's comments to create a scandal.

accused of distorting + words for deceptive purpose

Tanvi warned that the viral video distorted what actually happened at the school board meeting.

distort + what-clause for events

同義詞
  • misrepresent

    similar but slightly more formal; emphasises giving a false account rather than changing the content

  • falsify

    stronger; suggests actively making something false, often used for documents or data

  • twist

    informal; can mean changing someone's words in a clever but dishonest way

反義詞
  • clarify

    to make something clearer and more accurate

文法句型

distort + facts/truth/reality/words

distort + what/where/who clause

用法筆記

Frequently appears in discussions of media, politics, advertising, and historical accounts. The subject is typically a person, organisation, or publication that knowingly gives a false impression. The object is usually an abstract noun (facts, truth, reality, account, message).

常見錯誤

❌The translator distorted the document by accident.
✅The translator mistranslated the document by accident.
💡'distort' usually implies some level of intention or bias; for honest mistakes, use 'mistranslate' or 'misinterpret'.

3. to affect someone's thoughts, feelings, or judgment in a harmful way, so that th

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

to affect someone's thoughts, feelings, or judgment in a harmful way, so that they no longer see people or situations correctly or fairly

例句

Years of living in isolation had distorted his understanding of how normal friendships work.

distort + understanding: psychological cause-and-effect

When Eli's roommate called his homemade kimchi 'disgusting,' it distorted how Eli saw sharing meals.

personal remark distorts + how-clause: cultural sharing

同義詞
  • warp

    very similar; often used for mental or emotional effects, like 'warp one's sense of reality'

  • skew

    suggests making something unbalanced or biased rather than completely false

  • pervert

    stronger moral judgment; suggests corrupting something that should be good or normal

反義詞
  • clarify

    to make understanding clear and accurate

文法句型

distort + perception/view/understanding

distort + how/what clause

用法筆記

The subject of this sense is almost always an experience, emotion, condition, or external influence (trauma, fear, propaganda, prejudice) rather than a person acting deliberately. The object is a cognitive or perceptual noun (view, perception, judgment, understanding, sense of reality).

常見錯誤

❌His anger distorted his face.
✅His anger distorted his judgment.
💡The first example uses sense 1 (physical change of the face); if you mean his thinking became irrational, use 'judgment' or 'perception' as the object.

4. to cause an audio signal or recorded sound to lose its clear, natural quality an

4.動詞及物 / 不及物C1
釋義

to cause an audio signal or recorded sound to lose its clear, natural quality and come out as harsh, unclear, or unnaturally rough

例句

If you push the amplifier past its limit, it will distort the guitar sound badly.

transitive: amplifier distorts sound signal

The old cassette recording was so distorted that Élise barely recognised her own voice.

passive: recording becomes distorted over time

同義詞
  • garble

    used more for unclear speech or transmission, less common for musical distortion

  • degrade

    broader term for loss of signal quality, not limited to sound

文法句型

distort + sound/audio signal

amplifier/speakers distort

用法筆記

Common in music production, live sound engineering, and discussions of audio equipment. Can be transitive (turn the volume down or it will distort the signal) or intransitive (the speakers distort at high volume). Some musicians intentionally use distortion as a creative effect, especially in rock and electronic music.