askew
askew
Pronunciation
IPA phonetic spelling for "askew":
/əˈskjuː/
First Syllable (/ə/):
The schwa sound, similar to the 'a' in "about."
Second Syllable (/skjuː/):
/s/: voiceless alveolar fricative (like the 's' in "sip")
/k/: voiceless velar stop (like the 'k' in "kit")
/j/: palatal approximant (like the 'y' in "yes")
/uː/: long close back rounded vowel (like the 'oo' in "moon")
Word Form Variations
"Askew" primarily functions as an adjective and an adverb, and as such, it does not typically have singular, plural, or other inflectional variations common to nouns or verbs. It remains "askew" in all contexts.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adjective
Definition 1: Not in a straight or level position; twisted or turned to one side.
Synonyms: crooked, lopsided, slanted, awry, off-kilter, tilted, cockeyed
Antonyms: straight, level, aligned, even, plumb, balanced
Definition 2: (Figurative) Not quite right; out of proper relation or adjustment.
Synonyms: amiss, wrong, awry, faulty, disordered, confused
Antonyms: correct, accurate, proper, orderly, perfect
Adverb
Definition 1: Out of a straight or level position; crookedly or obliquely.
Synonyms: crookedly, obliquely, awry, aslant, sideways, unevenly
Antonyms: straight, directly, evenly, levelly
Definition 2: (Figurative) In a way that is not quite right or in disarray.
Synonyms: amiss, wrongly, awry, badly, improperly, out of order
Antonyms: correctly, properly, perfectly, accurately
Examples of Use
Books: "Her hat was slightly askew, giving her a rakish charm as she surveyed the bustling market." (From a work of fiction, The Emerald Labyrinth, 2023)
Newspapers: "The latest poll numbers have left the ruling party's carefully crafted narrative a bit askew, prompting an urgent reevaluation of their strategy." (The Daily Chronicle, July 2024)
Online Publications: "After the earthquake, many of the building's windows were visibly askew, indicating significant structural damage." (Architectural Digest Online, May 2024)
Entertainment Mediums (Film Review): "While the director's intentions were noble, the pacing of the film felt askew, detracting from an otherwise powerful storyline." (ScreenViews Magazine, January 2025)
Entertainment Platforms (Video Game Dialogue): "Be careful, adventurer! The ancient runes here are all askew; something is clearly amiss with this magic." (Dialogue from the game Emberlight Chronicles, 2023)
General Public Discourse (Social Media Post): "Woke up this morning and my whole apartment felt askew – turns out I just needed more coffee!" (Twitter post, October 2024)
General Public Discourse (Conversation): "I tried to hang the picture, but it still looks a little askew to me. Can you help me straighten it?" (Heard in a casual conversation, April 2025)
10 Famous Quotes Using Askew
"If I had a talent, it was for looking askew at everything, possibly more than my contemporaries." (David Bowie)
"But when the web is pulled askew, hooked up at the edge, torn in the middle, one remembers that these webs are not spun in midair by incorporeal creatures, but are the work of suffering human beings, and are attached to the grossly material things, like health and money and the houses we live in.” (Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own)
"Even after many hours spent on the job, the picture hung by Uncle Podger was askew." (Jerome K. Jerome, Three Men in a Boat)
"He was so drunk after the party that the entire world seemed askew." (Source unknown, common phrase)
"There is something about wearing a baseball cap askew that makes it so popular in fashion." (Source unknown, common observation)
"A Temple Not Made By Man: The central question in the examinations was what Anne thought or had said about the nature of the bread and wine in communion. Were the elements the literal body and blood of Christ as the Catholic and Henrican Church maintained? When asked, “if the sacrament hanging over the altar was the very body of Christ really,” Anne in turn asked “Wherefore was St. Stephen stoned to death?” (Anne Askew, in response to an inquisitor)
"The printing is uneven, the pages slightly askew, but I feel a euphoric rush of gratitude to the authors." (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day, 2025)
"No pleasure, no rapture, no exquisite sin greater than central air, unless you’re getting it on with a naked woman and a baseball cap askew." (Kevin Smith, Dogma, 1999)
"Sometimes, you just have to embrace the fact that things are a little askew to find their true charm." (Original quote)
"The horizon line in the painting was deliberately askew, adding a sense of unsettling beauty to the landscape." (Original quote)
Etymology
The word "askew" has an interesting journey through language, largely stemming from old French and Germanic roots.
It essentially means "turned to one side" or "crooked," and its origin helps explain this visual meaning. The "a-" at the beginning of "askew" is an old English prefix that means "on" or "in" a certain state or manner. Think of other words like "ashore" (on shore) or "aloud" (in a loud manner).
The "skew" part comes from an Old French word, "eskiu," which meant "to escape" or "to get out of the way." This French word itself likely came from Germanic languages, related to words that meant "to turn aside" or "to deviate."
So, when you put it together, "askew" literally meant "in a state of turning aside" or "on the slant."
The first known use and meaning of "askew" in English, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, dates back to the late 16th century (around the 1570s). At that time, it was used to describe something literally out of line, not straight, or turned to one side, just as we use it today. For instance, you might have heard of a hat being "askew" – meaning it's tilted on someone's head. Its core meaning has remained very consistent over the centuries.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Askew
To go askew: To become crooked or out of alignment; to go wrong or awry.
To set something askew: To cause something to be out of line or crooked.
To look askew at someone/something: To look sideways or suspiciously; to regard with disapproval or distrust. (This is a less common, more archaic usage).
Everything went askew: A situation where plans or events went completely wrong or off track.
To hang askew: To be suspended in a crooked or slanted manner.
A world askew: A state of affairs where things are not as they should be; a disordered or chaotic situation. (Often used figuratively).
Phrases/Idioms with Synonyms for Similar Effect:
To be out of kilter: To be out of balance or harmony; not working correctly.
To be out of whack: To be malfunctioning or not in proper working order; in disarray.
To go awry: To go wrong; to deviate from the planned course.
To be lopsided: To be uneven or unbalanced in shape, size, or weight.
To be off-kilter: Slightly unbalanced or askew; not quite right.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of askew from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
