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 24th, apparently blown off course by high winds. The Economist, 24 Mar. 2021 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 Indeed, instead of ostentatious acts of helping people, the administration almost preferred being seen standing athwart attempts to provide relief. Alex Pareene, The New Republic, 20 Dec. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for athwart
Adverb
  • The Dodgers, who won Monday’s opener 8-7 in 10 innings, got through Tuesday’s 11-1 Padres victory by essentially giving up midway through.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
  • Sure, there are thousands of SPF products to sift through, but finding the right sunscreen for your skin tone and type can be tricky.
    Sarah Han, Allure, 11 June 2025
Adverb
  • Slightly bigger, at 7.4 inches measured diagonally (compared with the 7-inch Steam Deck display), the new system swaps the IPS panel for an OLED one.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 11 June 2025
  • Arbuckle watched as the group marched diagonally across an intersection on Main Street.
    Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2025
Preposition
  • Five of those countries are on the new list, plus several more countries across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, as well as Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela.
    Allison McCann, New York Times, 5 June 2025
  • Varkey is teaming up with Gautam Adani, India’s second-richest person, to offer world-class, affordable education across the country with the target of opening 20 schools over three years.
    Anu Raghunathan, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Adverb
  • There were reports that 20,000 employees accepted the buyout delayed until the filing season was over.
    Tax Notes Staff, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Emily made her tired legs move more quickly, eager for the conversation to be over, but Gen lengthened her stride.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2025
Preposition
  • Since then, the conversation around intimacy coördinators has grown spikier.
    Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
  • Hopes that President Trump will lower his tariffs after reaching such trade deals with countries around the world have been among the main reasons the S&P 500 has rallied so furiously since dropping roughly 20% from its record two months ago.
    Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Athwart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athwart. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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