athwart 1 of 2

1
as in through
from one side to the other of an intervening space after it enters the Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane is predicted to advance athwart to the Texas coastline

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Relevance
2
as in diagonally
in a line or direction running from corner to corner we hung the twisted strips of crepe paper athwart to the floor and ceiling so that they formed giant crosses on all four walls

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

athwart

2 of 2

preposition

as in across
to the opposite side of athwart the road was farmland as far as the eye could see

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of athwart
Preposition
An obstructionist Supreme Court, however, stood athwart the New Deal’s path. John Fabian Witt, The New Republic, 26 Aug. 2022 One of the world’s largest container ships was wedged athwart the Suez Canal on March 23rd, blown off course by high winds. The Economist, 27 Mar. 2021 The outgoing Trump administration is standing athwart a massive investment management trend. Michael Taylor, ExpressNews.com, 2 Dec. 2020 Her mother, feeling abandoned by her constantly traveling husband, had affairs; her father’s heartfelt liberalism would run athwart of the postwar Red Scare. Elsa Dixler, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for athwart
Adverb
  • Freddie's always stopped by the survivor girl; he's always thwarted by his young ingenue all the way through, who's losing her innocence and entering the world.
    James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Reheat the chili on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave until heated through.
    Jasmine Smith, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • The table below shows her willingness to play long forward passes, either diagonally to wingers or more direct for runners in behind.
    Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Shoeless Mack Hollins is dressed as a bishop for #Halloween moving diagonally as the piece does.
    Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2025
Preposition
  • Their philanthropy touches all 12 of the university’s schools and colleges, as well as the university’s libraries, student affairs, athletics and various funds across campus.
    Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Since then, she's made stops in various cities across the United States, Canada and Australia, and Perry is now traveling around the world to connect with more fans.
    Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • Just over a week later, two men, Destry Jones, 20, and Damien Hinson, 18, were arrested in connection with the incident.
    Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Hensby was 3 over at the time, but then went birdie-birdie afterward to get to 1 under.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Oct. 2025
Preposition
  • In September, Vanity Fair wrote a story detailing new revelations around his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson’s correspondence with the disgraced financier.
    Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Helm waits around for the skies to clear.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Athwart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athwart. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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