1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
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
-
Rip planted his fist into Rob-Will's face during their first meeting in Episode 1, and things have only gotten more tense through.
-
Trump has pushed Republicans in the Senate to eliminate or modify the filibuster to get the bill through, though Majority Leader John Thune has maintained Republicans don't have the votes to do so.
Adverb
-
The light passed through it and slashed diagonally across the hallway.
-
Her bixie cut was tied back with a navy and white-dotted bandana folded diagonally and wrapped around her crown.
Preposition
-
The worst conditions are expected across the Western Slope and high country, with changing air quality elsewhere depending on the wind.
-
In Texas, an 18-wheeler dropped $800,000 in dimes onto a highway in April 2025, sending crews scrambling as coins scattered across the roadway.
Adverb
-
The New York Knicks festivities aren’t over just yet.
-
But the party wasn’t over just yet.
Preposition
-
Olivia Taylor, the assistant manager of the swim school, says clearing up misconceptions about what drowning actually looks like and getting anyone comfortable in and around the water, are some of the most important parts of teaching someone how to swim.
-
The suspects accused of plotting an attack on the UFC fight at the White House allegedly planned to deploy drones armed with explosives around the event, forcing the crowd to evacuate before they would be targeted by sniper fire, court records said.
Cite this Entry
“Athwart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athwart. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
