twisted; twisting; twists
1
a
: to unite by winding
twisting strands together
b
: to make by twisting strands together
twist thread from yarn
c
: to mingle by interlacing
3
a
: to wring or wrench so as to dislocate or distort
c
: contort
twisted his face into a grin
d
: to pull off, turn, or break by torsion
twist the nut off the bolt
e
: to cause to move with a turning motion
twisted her chair to face the fire
f
: to form into a spiral shape
g
: to cause to take on moral, mental, or emotional deformity
celebrity has twisted their sense of decorum
h
: to make (one's way) in a winding or devious manner to a destination or objective
1
: to follow a winding course : snake
2
3
of a ball
: to rotate while taking a curving path or direction
4
: turn sense 3a
twisted around to see behind him
1
b
: a dance performed with strenuous gyrations especially of the hips
c
: the spin given the ball in any of various games
d
: a spiral turn or curve
e(1)
: torque or torsional stress applied to a body (such as a rod or shaft)
(2)
: torsional strain
(3)
: the angle through which a thing is twisted
2
a
: a turning off a straight course
b
c
: a distortion of meaning or sense
3
4
: something formed by twisting or winding: such as
a
: a strip of citrus peel used to flavor a drink
b
: a baked piece of twisted dough
c
: a thread, yarn, or cord formed by twisting two or more strands together
d
: a strong tightly twisted sewing silk
e
: tobacco leaves twisted into a thick roll
5
: a front or back dive in which the diver twists sideways a half or full turn before entering the water
Synonyms
Examples of twist in a Sentence
Verb
The toy can be twisted into different shapes.
She twisted balloons into the shapes of different animals.
The antenna was twisted out of shape.
The car was a heap of twisted metal after the accident.
He twists his lip into an odd expression when he's thinking.
twist the dials on the radio
The bottle cap twists off.
Noun
a simple twist of the wrist
The jar should open with a twist of the lid.
The road has some nasty twists.
The coastal road had many twists and turns.
It was a film noir with some clever twists.
In an unusual twist, the police arrested one of their own.
They were brought together by a strange twist of fate.
Recent Examples on the Web
Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
Tons of twisting steel groaned and then hit the ground with a resounding boom, which echoed across Sparrows Point and sent up a cloud of dust.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2024
This brush-on formula is similar to those of more luxe brands—the powder is housed in a pint-sized (perfect for your purse) brush that twists up for easy application.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
Sometimes Pecker would suggest a preferred cover line, forcing us to twist a story to fit the language.
—Lachlan Cartwright, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The small animal twisted its shell in circles, sometimes changing direction.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Attach it to your garden hose and twist it to choose from seven spray patterns to water your lawn, plants, and flower beds.
—Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
Someone will twist your words or offer false information to control a situation or decision.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024
Many were on street corners, where buildings can be subjected to twisting forces that heighten damage.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
But Cam’s own backstory, with her father, has enough details and twists to fuel a miniseries of its own.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
This easy twist on a soufflé uses yellow stone-ground grits and two types of Cheddar cheese, baked up puffy and golden with pockets of corn and cubed ham throughout.
—Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2024
The brothers were involved in another plot twist, this time stepping out of their harmonies and splintering for individual runs.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 16 Apr. 2024
In another twist, the rise in real pay that started in the mid-2010s has helped low-income workers far more than high-income ones, says Professor East of the University of Colorado.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Apr. 2024
The 33-year-old actor has given them a twist by pairing them with a suit jacket, officially granting Vans dress shoe status.
—Arancha Gamo, Glamour, 13 Apr. 2024
His restaurant company Momofuku has been trying to trademark the condiment with a cease-and-desist twist.
—Morgan Haefner, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
These taco night ingredients aren't as spicy as some of the others in this best taco recipe list, making this Peruvian twist perfect for anyone who doesn't love flaming heat.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2024
Verb
Feet squarely planted, center of gravity low, Claudel’s version rests firmly on the ground while twisting in space.
—Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
Tons of twisting steel groaned and then hit the ground with a resounding boom, which echoed across Sparrows Point and sent up a cloud of dust.
—Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2024
This brush-on formula is similar to those of more luxe brands—the powder is housed in a pint-sized (perfect for your purse) brush that twists up for easy application.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2024
Sometimes Pecker would suggest a preferred cover line, forcing us to twist a story to fit the language.
—Lachlan Cartwright, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2024
The small animal twisted its shell in circles, sometimes changing direction.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2024
Attach it to your garden hose and twist it to choose from seven spray patterns to water your lawn, plants, and flower beds.
—Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024
Someone will twist your words or offer false information to control a situation or decision.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2024
Many were on street corners, where buildings can be subjected to twisting forces that heighten damage.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 4 Apr. 2024
Noun
The sport’s techniques include top rock (standing footwork) and down rock (moves on the floor), power moves (twists and spins) and the freeze, when breakers freeze in poses while using their heads or hands for support.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 17 Apr. 2024
But Cam’s own backstory, with her father, has enough details and twists to fuel a miniseries of its own.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 16 Apr. 2024
This easy twist on a soufflé uses yellow stone-ground grits and two types of Cheddar cheese, baked up puffy and golden with pockets of corn and cubed ham throughout.
—Zoe Denenberg, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2024
The brothers were involved in another plot twist, this time stepping out of their harmonies and splintering for individual runs.
—Lars Brandle, Billboard, 16 Apr. 2024
In another twist, the rise in real pay that started in the mid-2010s has helped low-income workers far more than high-income ones, says Professor East of the University of Colorado.
—Leonardo Bevilacqua, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Apr. 2024
The 33-year-old actor has given them a twist by pairing them with a suit jacket, officially granting Vans dress shoe status.
—Arancha Gamo, Glamour, 13 Apr. 2024
His restaurant company Momofuku has been trying to trademark the condiment with a cease-and-desist twist.
—Morgan Haefner, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2024
These taco night ingredients aren't as spicy as some of the others in this best taco recipe list, making this Peruvian twist perfect for anyone who doesn't love flaming heat.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'twist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near twist
Cite this Entry
“Twist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twist. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
twist
1 of 2 verb1
: to unite by winding one thread, strand, or wire around another
3
a
: to turn so as to sprain or hurt
twisted my ankle
b
: to change the meaning of
twisted the facts
c
: to pull off, rotate, or break by a turning force
twisted a small branch off the tree
4
: to follow a winding course
twist
2 of 2 noun1
: a thread, yarn, or cord made by twisting two or more strands together
2
: an act of twisting : the state of being twisted
3
: a spiral turn or curve
4
: a strong personal tendency : bent
5
: a changing of meaning
6
: something (as a plan of action) that is both surprising and strange
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