awry 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈrī How to pronounce awry (audio)
Definition of awrynext
as in uneven
inclined or twisted to one side the shutters that still remained on the run-down old house were all awry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

awry

2 of 2

adverb

ə-ˈrī How to pronounce awry (audio)
as in wrong
off the desired or intended path or course their plans for an outdoor wedding went awry when they got a freak hailstorm the night before

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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 awry
Adjective
Worse still, two sides of Wolves’ home had been closed to the public on safety grounds while a third served as a reminder of how badly things had gone awry. — Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026 To this day, conspiracy theories alleging that Jonestown was a CIA mind-control experiment gone awry find favor across the internet. — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026 ProPublica reconstructed how the project went awry through interviews with 36 current and former employees of General Dynamics, the Army, the Pentagon and the White House. — Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2026 To show how this combination of conditions can go awry, Elliott refers to the SFBC International scandal in 2006. — Angus Chen, STAT, 11 Aug. 2026 Register your trunks within six months of buying them, and the company will repair them—gratis—the first time something goes awry. — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 9 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, Spider-Man’s web-shooting capabilities have gone awry. — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 28 July 2026 Peck put on his fringe, leather, and mask, and powered through a dynamic 19-song set as if nothing in the world was awry. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026 It is made more complicated, no doubt, by a skin mishap that goes awry right before Trooping the Colour—one of the days of the year when the royal family is the most visible. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 23 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for awry
  1. uneven
  2. wrong
  3. tilted
  4. badly
  5. crooked
  6. oblique
Adjective
  • Engineers maintained extremely gentle gradients across long distances while using tunnels, channels, and arched bridges to cross uneven terrain.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Both players have been uneven throughout training camp, but Klubnik is the frontrunner to win the job and was the better player against the Buccaneers.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneven
Adverb
  • The north Londoners took the lead in the first half through £100million ($134m) summer signing Sandro Tonali, whose effort from outside the box deflected off Chelsea defender Levi Colwill and wrong-footed goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe.
    — Elias Burke, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
  • One error was a forecast that proved wrong; the other was a refusal to act on evidence already in view.
    — Michael Sonnenfeldt, Fortune, 19 July 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • But analysts say risks to oil prices remain tilted to the upside.
    — , CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Compared with tilted plastic rafts used in warmer climates, this design attaches flexible solar panels directly to thick, waterproof foam sheets, reducing wind exposure.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 June 2026
Definition of tilted
Adverb
  • Even when off-the-shelf software fit badly, most companies still bought it because the alternative was too expensive to justify.
    — Andrew Siemer, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Although the country has been badly damaged by war, the regime remains intact, and its regional power has grown.
    — MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of badly
Adjective
  • The rule also failed to tackle all of the ways trusts and other vehicles provide impenetrable secrecy for the wealthy and the crooked alike.
    — Casey Michel, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In Salinger’s narrative, Pencey is plagued by a population of troubled youth, crooked teachers, and spoiled rich kids, a mixture that often begat abuse.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of crooked
Adjective
  • There was the oblique strain in early April that sidelined him for more than a month.
    — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Other sustaining injuries were linebacker Nick Martin (stinger) and safety Marques Sigle (oblique); cornerback Nate Hobbs did not play because of a groin injury that will keep him out this preseason.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of oblique

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AWOL
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aw-shucks
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Cite this Entry

“Awry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/awry. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of awry for Spanish Speakers

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