contortion

UK: /kənˈtɔː^rʃ^ən/ US: /kənˈtɔrʃən/ ,(kən tôr′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•tor•tion /kənˈtɔrʃən/   n. 

1. [uncountable] the act or process of contorting or the state of being contorted.
2. an example of twisting or contorting:
   [countable] The contortions some people put their bodies through on those exercise machines, just to get in shape!

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•tor•tion  (kən tôr′shən), n. 

1. the act or process of contorting.
2. the state of being contorted.
3. a contorted position.
4. something contorted or twisted, as in position or meaning:
   His account of the incident was a complete contortion of fact.

• Latin contortiōn- (stem of contortiō) a whirling around. See contort, -ion
• 1605–15

con•tor′tion•al, adj. 
con•tor′tioned, adj.