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Glite Dictionary
distorted shape

distorted shape

5.9
Something that no longer looks like its original form after bending or heat
  • noun
translation icon : forma distorsionada
  • After the earthquake, the once straight building stood in a distorted shape, with walls that were no longer aligned.

Examples

  • Due to the extreme heat, the fence bent and twisted into a distorted shape that was unrecognizable.

  • The artist created a sculpture that featured a distorted shape to symbolize the struggles of life.

  • Since the pillow detector had to be in a flat position to be photographed without glare, the image appears in a slightly distorted shape, and the thermographic information may also be distorted.

    Academic text (1996)

Synonyms

warp
vsdistorted shape
67 6.3

A bend or twist that makes something lose its shape

is a broader term for forms changed by force not only twists or bends
distortion
vsdistorted shape
26 5.0

A change in shape or appearance that makes things look less accurate

is the physical change from force or pressure not the abstract accuracy loss
deformation
vsdistorted shape
  • Specialized
7 5.9

A change in the shape of an object that makes it look or work worse

is the neutral physical change by force or pressure rather than only harmful alteration
contortion
vsdistorted shape
1 7.1

A twisted shape of a body or object caused by bending

is a general changed form caused by pressure rather than an extreme twisted posture
warpage
vsdistorted shape
  • Specialized
1 7.8

Bending or twisting of a thing so it loses its original shape

describes a changed form from force or pressure rather than emphasizing the process

How Distorted

distorted shape
5.9

Surface Forms

distorted shape singular
distorted shapes plural

Morphology

distorted + shape

The meaning is directly and transparently derived from combining 'distorted' (twisted or deformed) with 'shape' (appearance or outline); the adjective+noun composition straightforwardly describes a shape that has been changed from its normal form. This is a standard, compositional pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand the MWE.

Etymology

Distorted shape creates a quick picture: imagine a mirror or a piece of metal so bent that its shape looks twisted and wrong. So it means 'a shape that is no longer in its normal form' because force, heat, or pressure has changed it.