Synonyms of diagonal

diagonal 1 of 2

adjective

dī-ˈa-gə-nᵊl 

as in oblique

running in a slanting direction

The diagonal design ran up the wall all the way from the lower left to the upper right-hand corner.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• oblique
• sloping
• leaning
• sloped
• slant
• tilting
• graded
• tilted
• slanted
• listing
• pitched
• canted
• cant
• slantwise
• raked
• inclined

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• horizontal
• vertical
• level
• parallel
• up-and-down
• perpendicular
• plumb

diagonal

2 of 2

noun

as in slope

the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon

The ramp was set at a low diagonal to make it easier for wheelchairs.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slope
• inclination
• incline
• gradient
• pitch
• lean
• slant
• grade
• rake
• ascent
• climb
• bank
• upgrade
• cant
• rise

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dip
• decline
• fall
• hanging
• declination
• descent
• declivity
• declension
• downgrade
• receding
• hang

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of diagonal

Adjective

The Miami-Dade Aviation Department said in a statement that the plane overran the diagonal runway and is disabled at the northwest end of the airport. — Chandelis Duster, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026

The rocks that each landslide throws out fall down the steep diagonal slopes and, by some kind of uncanny natural balance, end up piled on top of one another in multiple layers. — Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026

Noun

Larger values for c²—if they’re chosen carefully—enable more whole-number diagonals and hence more unit-distance pairs. — ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026

The painting, surrounded by scaffolding while the church undergoes repairs, is full of thrusting diagonals and shadowy figures, a meditation on both extreme suffering and pointed indifference to it. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026

Phrases Containing diagonal

• on the diagonal