pretzelling
Bending into knots
Pretzelling is twisting or contorting into a pretzel-like shape.
Bodies pretzel during yoga or cramped sleeping: I woke up pretzelled in the back seat.
The word extends to mental gymnastics—elaborate reasoning to justify a position: He's pretzelling himself to defend the policy.
Also spelled pretzeling.
Rotating with distortion
- bendingCurving from straight
- coilingLooping around repeatedly
- curlingForming curved shapes
- knottingForming fixed interlacements
looping · folding · warping · distorting · arching · entwining · interlacing · weaving
Unnatural twisting or bending
- acrobaticsSkilled physical feats
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
- limberBending without resistance
- suppleFlexing without damage
bendable · double-jointed · backbend · splits · circus · performer · agile · elastic
Yoga body position
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
- contortionUnnatural twisting or bending
- backbendArching spine rearward
- bindFasten or obligate
Excessively complex or twisted
- torturedCaused intense suffering
- twistedWound around itself
- contortedTwisted unnaturally
- tangledTwisted confusedly together
knotty · labyrinthine · byzantine · complicated · rationalization · circular · strained · tortuous
Tied with loops
- snarledGrowled or knotted
- entangledTwisted together inseparably
- twistedWound around itself
- gnarledTwisted and knotty
convoluted · intertwined · wound · looped · whorled · corkscrew · coiled · interwoven
twisting
Rotating with distortion
knotting · looping · folding · warping · distorting · arching · entwining · interlacing · weaving · braiding
contortion
Unnatural twisting or bending
- acrobaticsSkilled physical feats
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
- limberBending without resistance
supple · bendable · double-jointed · backbend · splits · circus · performer · agile · elastic · pliable
asana
Yoga body position
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
- contortionUnnatural twisting or bending
- backbendArching spine rearward
convoluted
Excessively complex or twisted
tangled · knotty · labyrinthine · byzantine · complicated · rationalization · circular · strained · tortuous · overthinking
knotted
Tied with loops
gnarled · convoluted · intertwined · wound · looped · whorled · corkscrew · coiled · interwoven · jumbled
pretzellingstraightening
Making something not crooked
unbending · untwisting · extending · stretching out · unfurling
pretzellingsimplifying
Making less complex
untangling · streamlining · unknotting · disentangling · unraveling