HealthJuly 25, 2026

contortion

kuhn-TOR-shuhn

Definition

A twisting or bending of something out of its normal shape, often used figuratively to describe forced, illogical, or strained arguments or processes.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin word 'contortio', which comes from 'contorquere' (to twist together). It entered Middle English through Old French, maintaining the core meaning of physical or metaphorical twisting.

In the news

The article uses the word to describe how federal officials characterized certain school programs, implying they were convoluted or artificially manipulated to fit specific agendas.

Colorado districts prepare for school year amid mental health cuts. But will less cellphone distractions help?

Read the full article ↗

Colorado Politics

Related words

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.