slant

1 of 2

verb

slanted; slanting; slants

intransitive verb

1
: to take a diagonal course, direction, or path
2
: to turn or incline from a right line or a level : slope

transitive verb

1
: to give an oblique or sloping direction to
2
: to interpret or present in line with a special interest : angle
stories slanted toward youth
especially : to maliciously or dishonestly distort or falsify
slantingly adverb

slant

2 of 2

noun

1
: a slanting direction, line, or plane : slope
2
a
: something that slants
c
: a football running play in which the ballcarrier runs obliquely toward the line of scrimmage
3
a
: a peculiar or personal point of view, attitude, or opinion
b
: a slanting view : glance
slant adjective
slantways adverb
slantwise adverb or adjective
slanty adjective

Examples of slant in a Sentence

Verb The sunlight slanted down through the leaves and branches of the trees. She slanted her hat a little to the right. They deliberately slanted the story to make themselves look good. Noun The computer keyboard is positioned at a slant so that typing is more comfortable for the wrists. He sliced the carrots on a slant.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
So, look for an organizer that has adjustable shelves, or even slanted shelves that can fit bottles on their side. Kathleen Willcox, Popular Mechanics, 24 Aug. 2023 During menopause, estrogen declines slanting the storage of body fat toward male pattern obesity. Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 1 Sep. 2023 Actors and screenwriters went on strike seeking a fair share of an entertainment economy now slanted toward streaming. Suzanne Nossel, The New Republic, 31 July 2023 Check which direction the doorframe is slanted toward with a level, then position the screw on the opposite side of the frame to pull the frame back into alignment. Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 July 2023 In the valley below, creeks slanted through the green. Lizzie Johnson and Lauren Tierney, Anchorage Daily News, 27 July 2023 The downside, however, is that those spiny papillae, which are slanted towards the back of a cat’s throat, move all that loose fur and detritus in a direction that leads inevitably to the formation of hairballs. Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 12 July 2023 By Monday afternoon, a stretch of $1 million-plus townhouses that had once stood high on a cliff had slipped nearly to street level, their beige stucco walls slanted and broken, their living areas reduced to gaping holes framed by wooden beams. Shawn Hubler, New York Times, 11 July 2023 Advertisement Disclosure of such a fact is part of basic journalistic transparency, enabling a reader to judge whether a news source is slanting the news to favor a vested interest. Paul Farhi, Washington Post, 29 June 2023
Noun
That unarticulated but ever-present performative slant colors all of Wiseman’s films, presenting a tension with the director’s unobtrusive and very unhurried style of shooting. J. Kim Murphy, Variety, 22 Nov. 2023 This is where he’s been getting tripped up, forgetting, at a slant in the sky, that there is another foothold only a few inches from him that is going to be crucial to get to the next step. Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 9 Aug. 2023 Rookie corner Christian Gonzalez, who went wire to wire and looked legit, made a tremendous pass break-up on a slant for Smith to give Jones one last shot. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2023 At its core, The Other Black Girl is a truly interesting story, but its slant into the paranormal actually does more harm than good at times. Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, 29 Sep. 2023 With 7:12 remaining in the second quarter, Zach Wilson hit Garrett Wilson on a slant play that went 68 yards for a touchdown. Sportsday Staff, Dallas News, 17 Sep. 2023 Those three songs not only suggest a more reflective tone for Glynne’s upcoming album, but also a diversification of sound, with different slants on her soulful pop bedrock. Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2023 The Beavers get a first down on a slant to Noga, and that’s the end of the third quarter. Ndaschel, oregonlive, 16 Sep. 2023 However, the steeper the slant, likely the greater protection (even though most folks find angles over 20% a bit uncomfortable). Talene Appleton, Men's Health, 30 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English slenten to fall obliquely, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect slenta to slope, Old Norse sletta to throw carelessly

First Known Use

Verb

1644, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slant was in 1644

Dictionary Entries Near slant

Cite this Entry

“Slant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slant. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

slant

1 of 2 verb
1
: to turn or incline from a straight line or a level : slope
2
: to interpret or present according to a special viewpoint

slant

2 of 2 noun
1
: a slanting direction, line, or plane : slope
2
: something that slants
3
: a way of looking at something
get a new slant on the problem
slant adjective
slanty adjective

Medical Definition

slant

noun
: a culture medium solidified obliquely in a tube so as to increase the surface area
a blood-agar slant
compare stab sense 2a

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