oblique

adjective

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\ ō-ˈblēk

, ə-, -ˈblīk; military usually -ˈblīk

Definition of oblique

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : neither perpendicular nor parallel : inclined oblique lines

b : having the axis not perpendicular to the base an oblique cone

c : having no right angle an oblique triangle

2a : not straightforward : indirect In her speech she made only oblique references to the scandal. also : obscure … much of what there is to see is nuanced and oblique — a shadow of a shadow of a shadow. — New Yorker

b : devious, underhanded … the open, above-board fury of his mind coagulated, thickened, and sunk to a dull, evil hatred, a wicked, oblique malevolence.— Frank Norris

3 : situated at an angle and having one end not inserted on bone oblique muscles

4 : taken from an airplane with the camera directed horizontally or diagonally downward an oblique photograph

oblique

noun

\ ō-ˈblēk

, ə-, -ˈblīk; military usually -ˈblīk \

Definition of oblique (Entry 2 of 3)

1 : something (such as a line) that is oblique

2 or oblique muscle : any of several oblique muscles especially : any of the thin flat muscles forming the middle and outer layers of the lateral walls of the abdomen

oblique

adverb

\ ō-ˈblēk

, ə-, -ˈblīk; military usually -ˈblīk \

Definition of oblique (Entry 3 of 3)

: at a 45 degree angle To the right oblique, march!

Other Words from oblique Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about oblique

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Examples of oblique in a Sentence

Adjective They were painted in oil paints on old-fashioned canvas. But the manner of their portrayal was oblique and enigmatic, with an element of hide-and-seek in which hiding most often won out over seeking. — John Russell, New York Times Magazine, 11 Nov. 1990 The driveway met the street at an oblique angle, and a jutting corner of the customer's cinderblock building, a large power pole, and a berm of trash (pallets, pails, chunks of wood) made it a dogleg affair. — Bryan Di Salvatore, New Yorker, 12 Sept. 1988 The short lines of the letter “k” are oblique lines. gave the eavesdropper an oblique glance out of the corner of her eye Noun We each received a list of every muscle group (back, inner thighs, outer thighs, quads, biceps, obliques, upper abs, etc.), with detailed comments on which ones we needed to change. — anonymous, Cosmopolitan, November 2007 He hammered on my back with both fists, but I had a lot of muscle layer to protect back there. Twenty years of working on the lats and the lateral obliques. I got hold of his shirtfront with both hands and pulled him away from the wall and slammed him back up against it. — Robert B. Parker, Mortal Stakes, 1975

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Kluber nearly made it back in time to help Cleveland’s playoff push but suffered an oblique injury that ended his comeback. — Tom Withers, The Denver Post, "Indians close to trading ace Corey Kluber to Rangers, AP source says," 15 Dec. 2019 Even Cole Hamels, who posted a 7.36 ERA over eight starts during the Cubs’ stretch run after returning from an oblique injury, managed to get a one-year, $18 million deal with the Braves. — Paul Sullivan, chicagotribune.com, "Column: As the price of elite starting pitching goes up, the White Sox and Cubs ponder their options," 8 Dec. 2019 But the Braves bullpen blew leads in Games 1 and 4 of the NLDS – Melancon losing the first game, Greene blowing a save opportunity in Game 4 – and the depth of the unit was dinged when an oblique injury knocked Martin out of the series early. — Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, "Braves make a splash, signing closer Will Smith to three-year, $40 million deal," 14 Nov. 2019 His absence was initially ascribed to an oblique injury but later revealed as cracked cartilage in his rib cage. — Matt Velazquez, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Eric Bledsoe is good to go for the Bucks opener and Wes Matthews will join starting unit," 22 Oct. 2019 He's made at least 29 starts in seven of the last eight years, missing the first half of the 2018 season because of a right oblique strain. — Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati.com, "Cincinnati Reds sign starting pitcher Wade Miley to 2-year contract," 16 Dec. 2019 Hamels had an All-Star-caliber first half with the Cubs in 2019 — a 2.98 ERA in 13 starts — before suffering a left oblique strain against the Reds on June 30. — Mark Gonzales, chicagotribune.com, "Former Cubs pitcher Cole Hamels signs with the Braves," 4 Dec. 2019 Gallo earned $605,000 Gallo was an All-Star last season before his campaign was cut short in July after 70 games because of a left oblique strain. — Sam Blum, Dallas News, "Rangers avoid arbitration by reaching deals with Joey Gallo, two others," 10 Jan. 2020 Oddly, though, the volcanoes here don’t run along the length of the subduction zone but are oblique to it, suggesting that the subducting Cocos slab is somehow highly warped. — National Geographic, "Ancient Aztec records reveal hidden earthquake risk," 11 Oct. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Your hamstrings, calves, hip stabilizers, and adductors (those muscles on your inner thigh) all get a little love, and your core works hard, too, particularly the obliques and deep lower back. — Hayden Carpenter, Outside Online, "The 4 Most Common Mistakes Made While Lunging," 11 Feb. 2020 Today’s instructor focuses our workout on booties and obliques. — refinery29.com, "I Live in San Francisco, Make $115K a Year, and Spent $575 On My Wellness Routine This Week," 17 Jan. 2020 Cube the ciabatta into 1-inch obliques, following the size of the cut tomatoes. — CBS News, "Recipes from pasta master Evan Funke," 28 Sep. 2019 Criss Cross with Extended Legs The obliques are important muscles to develop to support you while running and walking long distances. — Stephanie Mansour, NBC News, "Turkey trot: A one-month 5K training plan for beginners," 1 Nov. 2019 Van Der Beek’s deltoids and obliques are much more defined after the dance training, possibly from all the twists and lifts. — Kelsey Hurwitz, Woman's Day, "'DWTS' Star James Van Der Beek Shows Off Transformed Body On Instagram," 2 Dec. 2019 That approach became more essential after budding ace Brandon Woodruff was lost for six weeks in late July with a strained left oblique, robbing Counsell of his most dependable innings-eater. — Tom Haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Craig Counsell got the most first-place votes but he's not the manager of the year," 12 Nov. 2019 From here lower your hips toward the floor and raise them back up, targeting your obliques. — Hayden Carpenter, Outside Online, "The Ultimate Cross-Training Workout for Runners," 23 Sep. 2019 Fellow catcher Seby Zavala got the call in May, now Collins gets his turn, as the Sox also placed veteran backstop Welington Castillo on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique. — Phil Thompson, chicagotribune.com, "White Sox call up catcher Zack Collins and reinstate pitcher Jace Fry," 18 June 2019

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

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Last Updated

14 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Oblique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oblique. Accessed 24 Feb. 2020.

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More Definitions for oblique

oblique

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of oblique

: not direct : not stated directly

of a line : having a slanting direction or position : neither perpendicular nor parallel

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

oblique

adjective

\ ō-ˈblēk

, ə- \

Kids Definition of oblique

: having a slanting position or direction : neither perpendicular nor parallel

oblique

adjective

\ ō-ˈblēk

, ə-

, -ˈblīk \

Medical Definition of oblique

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : neither perpendicular nor parallel : being on an incline

2 : situated obliquely and having one end not inserted on bone oblique muscles

oblique

noun

variants: or oblique muscle

Medical Definition of oblique (Entry 2 of 2)

: any of several oblique muscles: as

a : either of two flat muscles on each side that form the middle and outer layers of the lateral walls of the abdomen, that have aponeuroses extending medially to ensheathe the rectus muscles and fusing in the midventral line in the linea alba, and that act to compress the abdominal contents and to assist in expelling the contents of various visceral organs (as in urination, defecation, parturition, and expiration):

(1) : one that forms the outer layer of the lateral abdominal wall

— called also external oblique, obliquus externus, obliquus externus abdominis

(2) : one situated under the external oblique in the lateral and ventral part of the abdominal wall

— called also internal oblique, obliquus internus, obliquus internus abdominis

b(1) : a long thin extraocular muscle that arises just above the margin of the optic foramen, is inserted on the upper part of the eyeball, and moves the eye downward and laterally

— called also superior oblique, obliquus superior oculi

(2) : a short extraocular muscle that arises from the orbital surface of the maxilla, is inserted slightly in front of and below the superior oblique, and moves the eye upward and laterally

— called also inferior oblique, obliquus inferior oculi

c(1) : a muscle that arises from the superior surface of the transverse process of the atlas, passes medially upward to insert into the occipital bone, and functions to extend the head and bend it to the side

— called also obliquus capitis superior, obliquus superior

(2) : a muscle that arises from the apex of the spinous process of the axis, inserts into the transverse process of the atlas, and rotates the atlas turning the face in the same direction

— called also obliquus capitis inferior, obliquus inferior

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