off-kilter

adjective

off-kil·​ter ˈȯf-ˈkil-tər How to pronounce off-kilter (audio)
1
: not in perfect balance : a bit askew
off-kilter camera angles
His hat was slightly off-kilter.
2
: eccentric, unconventional
off-kilter characters
an off-kilter approach

Examples of off-kilter in a Sentence

he's nice enough, but there's something a little off-kilter about him to me, the painting on the wall looks a little off-kilter
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Here are four off-kilter, on-brand ways to do that — courtesy of Denver Post staffers. The Know, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025 Keaton, who had served as the model for her character, also emerged as a style icon (for her off-kilter fashion sense) and an immediate influence on other young actresses. Chris Morris, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025 That look — glamorous, ever-so-slightly off-kilter — helped make an unlikely celebrity of Shampoo, whose real name is Mauro Teixeira Thorpe. Jack Lang, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025 That’s our Aesha, always a little gross and always a little off-kilter. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for off-kilter

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-kilter was in 1929

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Off-kilter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-kilter. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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