athwart 1 of 2

1
as in through
from one side to the other of an intervening space after it enters the Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane is predicted to advance athwart to the Texas coastline

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Relevance
2
as in diagonally
in a line or direction running from corner to corner we hung the twisted strips of crepe paper athwart to the floor and ceiling so that they formed giant crosses on all four walls

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

athwart

2 of 2

preposition

as in across
to the opposite side of athwart the road was farmland as far as the eye could see

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of athwart
Preposition
An obstructionist Supreme Court, however, stood athwart the New Deal’s path. John Fabian Witt, The New Republic, 26 Aug. 2022 One of the world’s largest container ships was wedged athwart the Suez Canal on March 23rd, blown off course by high winds. The Economist, 27 Mar. 2021 The outgoing Trump administration is standing athwart a massive investment management trend. Michael Taylor, ExpressNews.com, 2 Dec. 2020 Her mother, feeling abandoned by her constantly traveling husband, had affairs; her father’s heartfelt liberalism would run athwart of the postwar Red Scare. Elsa Dixler, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for athwart
Adverb
  • Sometimes time is the healer for everyone for the bright light to come back through.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Temperatures are also expected to drop this weekend as the cold front sweeps through.
    Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • The table below shows her willingness to play long forward passes, either diagonally to wingers or more direct for runners in behind.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Shoeless Mack Hollins is dressed as a bishop for #Halloween moving diagonally as the piece does.
    Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2025
Preposition
  • The team had cycled between quarterbacks Kaidon Salter and Ryan Staub across the first nine games of the year.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
  • On Saturday, Yao Chao People’s Cafe, which has about 30 outlets across the country, according to state media, issued an apology on social media.
    Chris Lau, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • The game was soon over and, for all the other tremendous things Woodson did in helping Michigan to a share of the national title, that moment loomed large in his Heisman victory over Tennessee’s Peyton Manning.
    The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Just over an hour after the lifeguard was attacked, a 3- to 4-foot reef shark was seen at Kauai’s Poipu Beach, according to Kauai County’s Ocean Safety Bureau.
    Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 8 Nov. 2025
Preposition
  • The moderates had expected a larger number of Democrats to vote with them as around 10-12 Democratic senators had been part of the negotiations.
    Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Director Michael Arden, meanwhile, is up to his elbows just moving the cumbersome Legos of Dane Laffrey’s set around.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Athwart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athwart. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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