1
: distorted from a true value or symmetrical form
problematic polling methods that resulted in skewed data
… a series of orange and yellow skewed shapes with mesh squares of different sizes …Natalie Savino
2
: deviating from what is normal, direct, or accurate
The treatment will later attempt to correct the anorexic's skewed [=distorted] perceptions about her body.Daniel Goleman
More broadly, some critics argue our über-emphasis on sports shows a skewed set of priorities.Kase Wickman et al.
This issue of control, and of the price paid for following the sometimes skewed road leading toward self-invention, is among the themes now being grappled with by Mary Harron …The New Yorker
Allowing even for my invariably skewed sense of direction, and the dark and sinuous roads that had delivered me to my door the night before, navigating the property is a challenge.Nancy Novogrod

Examples of skewed in a Sentence

he could see that the ropes had gotten all skewed in the collision
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In many organizations, the focus remains heavily skewed toward corporate branding rather than employer branding, a dynamic that can hinder long-term success in talent acquisition, engagement and retention. Toyna Chin, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 Rehearsing My Choir places the duo’s skewed indie-pop in communion with their grandma’s fascinating, fast-moving, and sometimes inscrutable recollections of American life between the 1920s and ’60s. Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2024 The results also might not be quite as close as the polls suggest — if they are even slightly skewed toward one candidate or the other, a 50/50 race could turn into an Electoral College rout. Dave Lawler, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024 After the dust settles this cycle, analysts will assess whether the same mistakes skewed surveys once again. Sarah Bedford, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 2 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for skewed 

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of skewed was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near skewed

Cite this Entry

“Skewed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skewed. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on skewed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!