What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
deform
Example
The car was deformed after the accident. [deformed: adjective]
Example
The artist deformed the clay into a unique sculpture. [deformed: verb]
distort
Example
The mirror distorted her reflection, making her look wider than she was. [distorted: verb]
Example
The politician distorted the truth to gain more votes. [distorted: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Distort is more commonly used than deform in everyday language, especially in non-physical contexts such as media or politics.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between deform and distort?
Both deform and distort are formal words and are not commonly used in casual conversation. However, distort may be more commonly used in formal writing or academic contexts due to its association with information or data manipulation.