Distortion means changing something from its true or original form, usually in a way that makes it inaccurate, misleading, or harder to recognize. When you look at your reflection in a funhouse mirror, you see a distorted version of yourself: maybe your head looks huge and your legs look tiny. That warped image is a distortion of reality.

Distortion happens in many contexts. A sound system might produce distortion when the volume is too high, making music sound fuzzy or harsh instead of clear. When someone retells a story but adds details that didn't happen or leaves out important facts, they create a distortion of what really occurred. A photograph taken with a wide-angle lens might show distortion at the edges, making straight lines appear curved.

The word suggests something has been twisted, stretched, or altered from what it should be. Scientists worry about distortion in their data when measurements get thrown off by faulty equipment. Historians work to correct distortions of historical events that have been exaggerated or misrepresented over time.

To distort something is to cause this change. Someone might distort the truth by telling only part of it, or a guitarist might intentionally distort their sound to give a rock song an edgy effect.