TWISTING Synonyms: 203 Similar and Opposite Words

twisting 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of twisting

as in winding

marked by a long series of irregular curves a twisting mountain road that requires extra careful driving

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twisting

2 of 3

noun

ˈtwi-stiŋ

as in twist

a forceful rotating or pulling motion for the purpose of dislodging something it took some twisting, but I finally got the top off the jar

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twisting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of twist

as in distorting

to change so much as to create a wrong impression or alter the meaning of my enemies will twist my words, but you'll only hear the truth out of me

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in coiling

to follow a circular or spiral course the path gently twisted down the hill

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

straightening

as in rotating

to move (something) in a curved or circular path on or as if on an axis twisted my wrist around to stretch it

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as in pulling

to move by or as if by a forceful rotation kept twisting the cap until it came free

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as in tossing

to make jerky or restless movements the dental patient twisted nervously in the chair

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in weaving

to cause to twine about one another has the habit of idly twisting the strands of her hair while daydreaming

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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 twisting

Verb

The system shudders a bit and then gets back to normal, like a person stubbing a toe or twisting an ankle faces discomfort and difficulty walking for a while. — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Beyond the town’s artistic offerings, Brown County State Park, Indiana’s largest and an easy day trip from Indianapolis, draws visitors with more than 90 miles of hiking and biking trails twisting through blazing forests. — Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 26 Aug. 2026 At the principal or director level, people reported taking home as much as $280,000, with Clippy-twisting bonuses of $110,000. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 26 Aug. 2026 Raman effortlessly turned the mayor’s rhetorical traps around like Bugs Bunny twisting Elmer Fudd’s rifle right in his face. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Then, use the extra leverage to try twisting your jar open again. — The Spruce, 20 Aug. 2026 Like Dante, Nick Tosches was an undaunted character whose tongue-twisting prose was an iconoclastic mash-up of realism and intricate, erudite lyricism. — A.d. Amorosi, SPIN, 6 Aug. 2026 The government is twisting a 60-year-old deal to take control of my land. — Cody Peterson, Washington Post, 29 July 2026 As Smith read Colt’s writings, the teenager remained expressionless, sometimes gently rocking and twisting in his chair. — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for twisting

Adjective

Every floor and room is dedicated to specific watch brands and timepieces, featuring bespoke details like watch-hand door handles and winding-crown faucet handles, all crafted by Florentine artisans.

— Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
As such, the show takes you on a winding journey of France’s influential craftsmanship and its impact on America via archival looks, dazzling objects, and more modern creations.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 29 May 2026

Definition of winding

Noun

What an intriguing and clever twist on the classic bank heist narrative, with powerful female performances at its core by Carrie Crowley, Bríd Brennan and Eva-Jane Gaffney.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
The smashburger was the same as always, juicy and full of cheese, and the dill and pickle in the Caesar salad brought a bright and refreshing twist to the classic.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of twist

Verb

But the current state of geopolitics appears to be distorting what being open means.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
China’s aircraft engineers have warned that artificial intelligence could feed false data into military intelligence, potentially distorting the design and operation of advanced weapons.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of distorting

Verb

Joe Kramm | Courtesy of Francis Interiors The gold background is a spread of bold graphic lines, undulating shapes and coiling circular motifs, referencing the work of French artist, sculptor and designer Jean Dunand (1877–1942).

— R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Receiving a ball punched out of Tunisia’s area, the Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder took one touch to knock it into space, before coiling his diminutive frame behind a fierce shot that fizzed and curled into the net.

— Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 15 June 2026

Definition of coiling

Verb

Coffee heads and tea aficionados will get their fill on the extensive, rotating offerings.

— The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026
In joining the program, Compagno will step down from her role on Outnumbered, a panel show which features four women and one male, and a rotating Fox News personality will fill the seat until a full-time co-host is named.

— Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of rotating

Verb

Why TikTok livestream selling can drive big sales Three forces are pulling sellers toward livestream commerce, and Duplantis’s numbers reflect all of them.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026
Wildfire risk is pushing insurers to underwrite hotels based on physical resilience rather than location alone, and carriers are pulling back from some markets entirely.

— Josipa Majic Predin, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of pulling

Verb

And because nobody washed the dishes before tossing them into the feasting pit, King and his colleagues (in a 2017 study) could analyze the microscopic residue of ancient drinks that had soaked into the ceramic.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
Timid personal injury lawyer Kevin Avery (Will Forte) scrapes by on quick, low-stakes payouts, Acme tossing his clients a couple hundred bucks for their fast-healing wounds.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of tossing

Cite this Entry

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“Twisting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/twisting. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of twisting

adjective

noun

verb

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