warp 1 of 2

warp

2 of 2

verb

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2
3
as in to deform
to twist (something) out of a natural or normal shape or condition freezing warped the plastic, and now the cover won't fit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb warp contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of warp are contort, deform, and distort. While all these words mean "to mar or spoil by or as if by twisting," warp indicates an uneven shrinking that bends or twists out of a flat plane.

warped floorboards

When could deform be used to replace warp?

The synonyms deform and warp are sometimes interchangeable, but deform may imply a change of shape through stress, injury, or accident of growth.

a face deformed by hatred

How do distort and contort relate to one another, in the sense of warp?

Distort and contort both imply a wrenching from the natural or normal, but contort suggests a more involved twisting and a more grotesque and painful result.

the odd camera angle distorts the figure
disease had contorted her body

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of warp
Noun
But how will space-time warp if the object itself is in a superposition of two locations? Anil Ananthaswamy, WIRED, 29 Dec. 2024 Detecting changes in laser beam path length down to fractions of the width of a proton—which is how much spacetime wobbles and warps when a gravitational wave passes through—is often a game of false positives. IEEE Spectrum, 28 Aug. 2019
Verb
Watching Snook warp her face on a filter as Dorian opts to embrace his moral decline isn't just an illustration, but a magnification of the show's themes, offering a clear reflection of our present. Shania Russell, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025 Drug addiction and domestic abuse had warped her, like wood left out in a lifetime of rain, into a speechless husk. Joseph Earl Thomas, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for warp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for warp
Noun
  • The Cubs took the lead in the fifth on Justin Turner’s two-out, pinch-hit, infield single with the bases loaded.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Navy attack planes from the Truman and Air Force fighter jets, flying from bases in the Middle East, have conducted strikes against Houthi targets each day since, U.S. and Yemeni officials said.
    Eric Schmitt, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Rosenworcel also dismissed a challenge to a Fox station license alleging that Fox willfully distorted news with false reports of fraud in the 2020 election that Trump lost.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Importers have already scrambled to front-load shipments ahead of tariff hikes, distorting gross domestic product growth figures in Q1 2025 while setting up a drag for Q2.
    Bob Haber, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Thimerosal degrades into ethylmercury, which was judged not to be a danger at the level that would come from a vaccine.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The quality degrades a bit after the sun goes down.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Doesn’t further engagement with the Holocaust threaten to deform me?
    Gabra Zackman Emma Kehlbeck Ted Blaisdell, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
  • What to Listen For: The wind whipping through the forest at the summit, so strong and constant that the peak’s red spruces have become deformed and only have branches and nettles on one side.
    Graham Averill, Outside Online, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Lütke’s bet is that these workers will be the foundation of Shopify’s next era of growth.
    John Winsor, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Grab your favorite foundation brush or makeup sponge, or even use your fingers to rub it in.
    Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Corson proceeded to inform the court of Petersen’s previous convictions in 2016 and 2017 when she was charged with misrepresenting herself as her sister when stopped by law enforcement.
    Olivia Estright, Twin Cities, 2 Apr. 2025
  • In particular, Ozy co-founder and chief operating officer Samir Rao had misrepresented himself on a call with Goldman Sachs by pretending to be a YouTube executive, Alex Piper.
    Peter White, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Based on the aforementioned trends, employment outcomes haven’t gotten better over the past decade and are likely to deteriorate further.
    Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Additionally, inspectors said, grout had deteriorated between floor tiles at the cook’s line.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Stability, the ability to remain composed, consistent and dependable, especially during times of change and stress, is the bedrock of trust and the quiet strength that allows others to feel secure and focused.
    Michael McFall, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The concrete bases of the structure were located at the points where the bedrock is highest, reducing the cost of building the house’s foundations.
    María Noval-Quílez, Architectural Digest, 30 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Warp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/warp. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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