: proper or usual state or condition : order
out of kilter
Examples of kilter in a Sentence
since I dropped my food processor, it's been all out of kilter
Recent Examples on the Web
For just a little while, let yourself get lost in the off-kilter world and fun details of the artworks, from the cat-eye glasses made out of forks on the waitress to the mermaid’s tail, made entirely from tin can tops.
—
Alissa Greenberg, Mercury News, 15 June 2026
Add in some unpredictability, whether from the wind that swirled around her Wednesday, the surface, or both, and her timing can quickly go off-kilter.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 3 June 2026
Perhaps the off-kilter location for tourists is what helps rates stay on the more approachable side (both for the rooms and for food and beverage).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 May 2026
Some of those changes might throw the balance of the budget off kilter, while others would redirect spending — and potentially affect jobs — to pay for specific priorities.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kilter
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Alissa Greenberg, Mercury News, 15 June 2026
Add in some unpredictability, whether from the wind that swirled around her Wednesday, the surface, or both, and her timing can quickly go off-kilter.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 3 June 2026
Perhaps the off-kilter location for tourists is what helps rates stay on the more approachable side (both for the rooms and for food and beverage).
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 May 2026
Some of those changes might throw the balance of the budget off kilter, while others would redirect spending — and potentially affect jobs — to pay for specific priorities.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for kilter
Cite this Entry
“Kilter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kilter. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
kilter
noun
kil·ter
ˈkil-tər 
: proper condition
the TV is out of kilter
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