horizontal

adjective

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hor·i·zon·tal | \ ˌhȯr-ə-ˈzän-tᵊl

, ˌhär- \

Definition of horizontal

1a : of or relating to the apparent junction of earth and sky : situated near the horizon

b : parallel to, in the plane of, or operating in a plane parallel to the horizon or to a baseline : level horizontal distance a horizontal engine

2 : relating to, directed toward, or consisting of individuals or entities of similar status or on the same level horizontal mergers horizontal hostility

3 medical : relating to or being transmission (as of a disease) by physical contact or proximity in contrast with inheritance Genes are normally inherited from parents, but they can also be inserted into a genome by viruses, plasmids, and other foreign agents—a phenomenon called horizontal transfer.— Stephan Reebs — compare vertical sense 4

Other Words from horizontal More Example Sentences Phrases Containing horizontal Learn More About horizontal

Other Words from horizontal

horizontal noun

horizontality \ ˌhȯr-ə-ˌzän-ˈta-lə-tē

, ˌhär- \ noun

horizontally \ ˌhȯr-ə-ˈzän-tᵊl-ē

, ˌhär- \ adverb

Examples of horizontal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The wider the horizontal line, the bigger the error bar. — Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 9 Apr. 2022 Rather than attempt to avoid it, Smooth Sync reduces the visual impact of a screen tear, dynamically blurring the tell-tale horizontal tear line with a dithering filter. — Matthew Buzzi, PCMAG, 30 Mar. 2022 Due in spring of next year, the Chevy Silverado ZR2 will go head-to-head against Ram and Ford competitors with a standard (on LT models and up), 12.3-inch digital instrument display and Tesla Model 3-like, 13.4-inch horizontal console screen. — Dallas News, 18 Sep. 2021 The standard screen is 8.0 inches, while there's an optional horizontal 12.0-inch screen, which is shown here. — Mihir Maddireddy, Car and Driver, 26 June 2020 Whether your business is embarking on vertical or horizontal integration, the considerations are the same. — Colson Hillier, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2022 The tail section of the plane consists of the vertical and horizontal stabilizers, including the fin, rudder and elevators, which help to control the plane in flight. — Emiliano Tahui Gómez, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2022 The final cherry on top was her playful hairpiece, which featured horizontal ombré stripes in red, green, and blue to lend the look its final, fantastical lift-off. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2022 The oversized lapel is embellished with silver horizontal stripes. — Carrie Wittmer, Glamour, 4 Apr. 2022 See More

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