to distort
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to distort
To change an image, a face, or a shape in such a way that the proportions are no longer correct and it looks unnatural or funny.
Der Zerrspiegel im Vergnügungspark verzerrte unsere Körper auf lustige Weise.
The funhouse mirror at the amusement park distorted our bodies in a funny way.
to distort
To represent facts, the truth, or an account incorrectly, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Die Boulevardpresse hat seine Aussage komplett verzerrt dargestellt.
The tabloid press presented his statement in a completely distorted way.
to distort
To change a sound or voice so that it sounds unclear, unnatural, or unpleasant.
Durch die schlechte Verbindung war seine Stimme am Telefon stark verzerrt.
Because of the bad connection, his voice on the phone was heavily distorted.
to contort one's face
To involuntarily twist one's facial features because of pain, disgust, or another strong emotion.
Er verzerrte das Gesicht vor Schmerz, als er sich den Knöchel verstauchte.
He contorted his face in pain when he sprained his ankle.
The verb 'verzerren' (to distort) contains the base verb 'zerren' (to tug/pull hard). The inseparable prefix 'ver-' often indicates an incorrect or negative result. So 'verzerren' literally means to pull something out of shape.
Die Hitze hat die Plastikflasche komplett verzerrt.
The heat completely distorted the plastic bottle.
'Verzerren' (to distort) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'ver-' remains attached to the verb in all sentence forms. The past participle is formed without 'ge-': 'verzerrt' (distorted).
Er hat die Fakten in seinem Bericht verzerrt.
He distorted the facts in his report.
The object of the verb makes the meaning clear. You can distort an image (visual), the truth (abstract), a sound (acoustic), or the face (facial expression).
Ein lauter Knall verzerrte plötzlich die Musik.
A loud bang suddenly distorted the music.
The expression 'das Gesicht verzerren' (to contort one's face) is very common. The reason is often given with the preposition 'vor' and the dative, for example 'das Gesicht vor Schmerz verzerren' (to contort one's face in pain) or 'vor Ekel' (in disgust).
Als er die bittere Medizin schmeckte, verzerrte er das Gesicht.
When he tasted the bitter medicine, he contorted his face.
The past participle 'verzerrt' (distorted) is very often used as an adjective to describe the state of something. For example, people speak of a 'verzerrtes Bild' (distorted image), a 'verzerrte Wahrnehmung' (distorted perception), or a 'verzerrte Stimme' (distorted voice).
Durch den Unfall hatte er eine verzerrte Wahrnehmung der Realität.
Because of the accident, he had a distorted perception of reality.
to twist / distort
Both verbs work when a representation does not accurately reflect the truth. Verdrehen usually emphasizes a deliberate reinterpretation or manipulative twist, while verzerren can also result from selection, weighting, or a particular perspective. Verdrehen fits a deliberately reinterpreted statement, while verzerren is often used for a one-sided representation.
Die Grafik verzerrte das Ergebnis, weil sie nur die günstigen Zahlen zeigte.
The graph distorted the result because it showed only the favorable figures.
Der Sprecher verdrehte die Aussage des Experten, damit sie wie eine Zustimmung klang.
The speaker twisted the expert’s statement so that it sounded like an endorsement.
