angle

noun (1)

an·gle | \ ˈaŋ-gəl

Definition of angle

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : a corner whether constituting a projecting part or a partially enclosed space They sheltered in an angle of the building.

2a : the figure formed by two lines extending from the same point also : dihedral angle

b : a measure of an angle or of the amount of turning necessary to bring one line or plane into coincidence with or parallel to another

3a : the direction from which someone or something is approached soldiers being attacked from every angle a football player trying to get an angle on an opponent [=approach an opponent from an effective angle]

b : the precise viewpoint from which something is observed or considered a camera angle consider the question from all angles also : the aspect seen from such an angle discuss all angles of the question

c(1) : a special approach, point of attack, or technique for accomplishing an objective try a new angle

(2) : an often improper or illicit method of obtaining advantage a salesman always looking for an angle

4 : a sharply divergent course The road went off at an angle.

angle

verb (1)

angled; angling\ ˈaŋ-g(ə-)liŋ

Definition of angle (Entry 2 of 4)

intransitive verb

: to turn or proceed at an angle The road angles up the hill.

transitive verb

1 : to turn, move, or direct at an angle slipped the key in and angled it to one side

2 : to present (something, such as a news story) from a particular or prejudiced point of view : slant angled stories toward the newspaper's political preferences

angle

verb (2)

angled; angling

Definition of angle (Entry 3 of 4)

intransitive verb

1 : to fish with a hook

2 : to use artful means to attain an objective angled for an invitation

Angle

noun (2)

An·gle | \ ˈaŋ-gəl

Definition of Angle (Entry 4 of 4)

: a member of a Germanic people that invaded England along with the Saxons and Jutes in the fifth century a.d. and merged with them to form the Anglo-Saxon peoples

Other Words from angle Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about angle

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Synonyms for angle

Synonyms: Noun (1)

Synonyms: Verb (1)

Examples of angle in a Sentence

Noun (1) The lines are at sharp angles to each other. Critics love the clever camera angles the director used in the film. She took pictures of the same scene from several different angles. The soldiers were being attacked from every angle. We need to approach the problem from a new angle. They considered the question from all angles. The reporter tried to work that angle into his story.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun This kite will never be straight overhead (angle of 90 degrees). — Rhett Allain, Wired, "How to Calculate the String Angle of a Kite vs. a Balloon," 15 Feb. 2021 Then, pull the fabric making the 45-degree angle back down the side of the mattress, flush with the corner. — Kyle Valenta, Star Tribune, "Sleep on it," 12 Feb. 2021 In the photo below, the port dive plane appears to be drooping, while the starboard dive plane is bent down at a steep angle: This content is imported from Twitter. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Surfacing Japanese Submarine Collides With Commercial Ship," 9 Feb. 2021 Falling behind on housing payments was just one angle from which the JCHS examined the housing experience of people of color. — Michael Kolomatsky, New York Times, "People of Color Face the Most Pandemic Housing Insecurity," 28 Jan. 2021 There was no angle of the play from behind Jordan shown on the broadcast. — Jeff Nowak | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, "Saints' Cam Jordan flagged for punching Chiefs player, ejected in 4th quarter; see the play," 20 Dec. 2020 Instead, Conan embraced segments that played to his strengths, only tackling the president when there was an undeniably absurd angle to be explored. — Shirley Li, The Atlantic, "What Will Late-Night TV Do After Trump?," 17 Dec. 2020 But there is another potential angle of this story. — Karen Tibbals, STAT, "Moral foundations theory can help rehabilitate pharma’s image," 4 Nov. 2020 Then there is the development angle, with the Heat still needing a place to park KZ Okpala for his developmental needs. — Ira Winderman, sun-sentinel.com, "ASK IRA: Could there be a Josh Richardson reunion in Heat future?," 17 Oct. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Without being obsessive, think about your on-screen appearance, makeup, lighting, camera height and angle and backdrop. — New York Times, "How to Hold a Virtual Memorial Service," 14 Jan. 2021 On long-term camera sets like this, angle your lenses north or south when possible to avoid flares that can trigger the camera and wash out images at the best times of day. — Will Brantley, Field & Stream, "Our 21 Favorite Trail Camera Photos," 10 Dec. 2020 The solution was to angle one wall so that the house tapers like the site. — Kim Palmer, Star Tribune, "They found an empty lot facing the Mississippi River and built a modern dream home," 4 Dec. 2020 The Civic is perhaps the only car of this size in which the driver doesn't have to angle his feet toward the center of the car to avoid the left front wheel housing. — Car and Driver, "1973 Honda Civic," 18 Nov. 2020 Cephus appeared to angle his route toward the sideline some 30 yards downfield, near the Lions’ 35-yard line, but should have adjusted to a go route on the play. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Lions film review: Inside Matthew Stafford's game-winning drive vs. Washington," 17 Nov. 2020 When setting up the sticks, angle them back toward you a bit so that the rifle wants to naturally fall into your shoulder. — John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, "Shooting Sticks Can Help You Get a Shot on Game When Nothing Else Will," 28 Oct. 2020 Inside downtown Fort Lauderdale’s new Shady Distillery, surfer and musician Jonny VerPlanck wears his DIY punk-rock ethos on his sleeves, colorful arm tattoos that angle from a black Clash T-shirt. — Ben Crandell, sun-sentinel.com, "Drink local: Shady Distillery opens at Fort Lauderdale’s Sistrunk Marketplace," 28 Oct. 2020 In addition, the British company AstraZeneca has agreed to supply vaccine for 39 million more people — as Mexican authorities angle to make the country a hub for distribution of the vaccine throughout Latin America. — Emily Baumgaertner, Los Angeles Times, "Seeking to expand their influence, China and Russia market coronavirus vaccines around the world," 28 Oct. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Without being obsessive, think about your on-screen appearance, makeup, lighting, camera height and angle and backdrop. — New York Times, "How to Hold a Virtual Memorial Service," 14 Jan. 2021 On long-term camera sets like this, angle your lenses north or south when possible to avoid flares that can trigger the camera and wash out images at the best times of day. — Will Brantley, Field & Stream, "Our 21 Favorite Trail Camera Photos," 10 Dec. 2020 The solution was to angle one wall so that the house tapers like the site. — Kim Palmer, Star Tribune, "They found an empty lot facing the Mississippi River and built a modern dream home," 4 Dec. 2020 The Civic is perhaps the only car of this size in which the driver doesn't have to angle his feet toward the center of the car to avoid the left front wheel housing. — Car and Driver, "1973 Honda Civic," 18 Nov. 2020 Cephus appeared to angle his route toward the sideline some 30 yards downfield, near the Lions’ 35-yard line, but should have adjusted to a go route on the play. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Lions film review: Inside Matthew Stafford's game-winning drive vs. Washington," 17 Nov. 2020 When setting up the sticks, angle them back toward you a bit so that the rifle wants to naturally fall into your shoulder. — John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, "Shooting Sticks Can Help You Get a Shot on Game When Nothing Else Will," 28 Oct. 2020 Inside downtown Fort Lauderdale’s new Shady Distillery, surfer and musician Jonny VerPlanck wears his DIY punk-rock ethos on his sleeves, colorful arm tattoos that angle from a black Clash T-shirt. — Ben Crandell, sun-sentinel.com, "Drink local: Shady Distillery opens at Fort Lauderdale’s Sistrunk Marketplace," 28 Oct. 2020 In addition, the British company AstraZeneca has agreed to supply vaccine for 39 million more people — as Mexican authorities angle to make the country a hub for distribution of the vaccine throughout Latin America. — Emily Baumgaertner, Los Angeles Times, "Seeking to expand their influence, China and Russia market coronavirus vaccines around the world," 28 Oct. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'angle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of angle

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Verb (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for angle

Noun (1)

Middle English, "corner, recess, two lines extending from the same point," borrowed from Anglo-French angle, aungle, going back to Latin angulus "two lines extending from the same point, corner, nook," going back to Indo-European *h₂eng-lo-, *h₂eng-elo-, whence also Old Church Slavic ǫgŭlŭ "corner, angle," Russian úgol, genitive uglá, Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian ȕgao, ȕgla, Armenian ankiwn, and perhaps Germanic *ankula-, *ankila- ankle

Verb (1)

Middle English anglen "to meet at an angle," derivative of angle angle entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English anglen, derivative of angel "fishhook," going back to Old English angel, ongel, going back to Germanic *angula- "hook, barb" (whence also Old Saxon angul "fishhook," Old High German, "hook, barb," Old Norse ǫngull "fishhook"), going back to Indo-European *h₂enk-ul-ó-, derivative, perhaps diminutive, of a base *h₂enk- seen also in the n-stem noun *h₂enk-ón- (whence Old English anga "prick, goad," Old High German ango "sting, barb, door hinge," Greek ankṓn "bend, elbow"), suffixed in Greek ankýlos "bent, crooked, curved," and as an o-grade derivative in Greek ónkos "barb of an arrow," Latin uncus "curved at the extremities, hooked, a hook," and probably Sanskrit aṅkáḥ "curve, hook"; *h₂enk- perhaps attested as a primary verb in Sanskrit áñcati, ácati "(it) bends, curves"

Note: Indo-European *h₂enk- appears to be synonymous with the base *h₂eng- —see angle entry 1, ankle.

Noun (2)

Latin Angli, plural, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English Engle Angles

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Last Updated

24 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Angle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/angle. Accessed 26 Feb. 2021.

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More Definitions for angle

angle

noun

English Language Learners Definition of angle

: the difference between the direction of two lines or surfaces that come together : the space or shape formed when two lines or surfaces meet each other

—used to describe a surface that is not level

—used to describe something that leans or goes to the side rather than straight up or directly forward

See the full definition for angle in the English Language Learners Dictionary

angle

noun

an·gle | \ ˈaŋ-gəl