1
as in bizarre
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion
he's nice enough, but there's something a little off-kilter about him
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneven
inclined or twisted to one side
to me, the painting on the wall looks a little off-kilter
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of off-kilter
Equally at ease with bracing, dramatic emotions and an eccentrically off-kilter sense of humor, Victor explores the stutter steps of small victories and minor setbacks that eventually lead to growth, perhaps never quite leaving a painful moment fully behind but moving forward all the same.
—
Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025
While the council is used to being feared, Yumeko, who has secret reasons for attending the school, eagerly steps into their crosshairs, and her presence throws the entire ecosystem of St. Dominic’s off-kilter.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 May 2025
With its fast-changing time signatures and off-kilter melodies, this song is treacherous ground for any singer.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2025
There’s always something uncanny in there that’s a little off-kilter.
—Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-kilter
Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025
While the council is used to being feared, Yumeko, who has secret reasons for attending the school, eagerly steps into their crosshairs, and her presence throws the entire ecosystem of St. Dominic’s off-kilter.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 May 2025
With its fast-changing time signatures and off-kilter melodies, this song is treacherous ground for any singer.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2025
There’s always something uncanny in there that’s a little off-kilter.
—Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-kilter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-kilter
Adjective
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Joining me is my Staten Island brother, Pete Davidson, who unveils a darker, dramatic side as his character navigates a bizarre group of residents in an old age home.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
29 May 2025
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But inexplicably, Villa contrived to lose the game, thanks in no small part to goalkeeper Emi Martinez’s sending off in the first half for a bizarre body-check on Rasmus Hojlund.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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The American game was largely insular, coaching education uneven, and infrastructure limited.—
Lee Igel,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
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Read More: The Healthiest Way to Clean Your House Check the base of the unit, too: Dirt can settle underneath, making the entire thing uneven, leading to performance issues and major repairs down the road, Drew says.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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After coming to the Mets at the trade deadline, Blackburn had a serious of strange injuries, getting hit by a line drive on his hand, and then suffering from a spinal fluid leak that required surgery.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2025
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There, the homeowner said a stranger barefoot and clad only in black shorts — later identified as Schaefer — opened the unlocked back door and came inside.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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Can't wait for the weird personality quirks and side eye of judgment.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
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Historically, Nintendo has had a weird relationship with the internet.—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Throughout the film, newspaper headlines and snippets of TV contextualize the story against the backdrop of anti-Vietnam demonstrations, colleges retaliating to student campus protests and aggressive policing, along with glimpses of Richard Nixon’s crooked grin.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
23 May 2025
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The moon's insides are crooked thanks to the near side being some 306 degrees Fahrenheit hotter at depth than its counterpart on the lunar far side.—
Ian Randall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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There are enough quotable lines of dialogue in the movie’s first half to remind you why Succession was, pound for pound, one of the most profanely funny shows on TV during its run.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
31 May 2025
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Because to us, the most funny things are right next to the most tragic things.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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The 28-year-old right-hander is returning from an oblique strain that removed him from the starting competition in spring training.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2025
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Manaea was initially shut down in February with the right oblique strain, then suffered a setback in early April when inflammation in the muscle required a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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Both of her parents worked, holding down odd jobs, and by September 2024, the family had settled in Bakersfield and S.G.V. was discharged from the hospital.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
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Speaking of the first movie, that has to be an odd scene to do with Tom Cruise just hanging above you the entire time.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
27 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Off-kilter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-kilter. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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