diagonal 1 of 2

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.

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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.

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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 diagonal
Adjective
Lift your left arm toward the ceiling, forming a T-shape with your arms and a straight, diagonal line from shoulders to heels. Mallory Creveling, Health, 22 Oct. 2025 The dress that put him on the fashion map was the white silk evening gown with a diagonal cutaway across the torso and a slit up to the hip bone, from Vaccarello’s eponymous label, that his dear friend the model Anja Rubik wore to the Met Gala in 2012. Rob Haskell, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
France is often associated with having an 'empty' middle, a strip of vast land that traverses the country diagonally (the 'diagonale du vide', the empty diagonal), which is less populated than its mountains or coastlines and has fewer infrastructure and services. Alex Ledsom, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025 The bottom-left to top-right diagonal represents the winning percentage of teams against opponents of the same seed. Giovanni Malloy, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for diagonal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diagonal
Adjective
  • Among those players were outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen (originally sidelined with an ankle), center Cade Mays (ankle) and left guard Damien Lewis (oblique).
    Alex Zietlow November 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
  • He was released after the trade deadline but re-signed a minor league deal and was added to the postseason roster after Elias Díaz’s oblique injury.
    Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Designed by Schmidt Design Group, the design embraces the site’s natural topography, with a scenic overlook to the canyon at its highest point and a playground that takes advantage of a natural slope with climbing loops, rocks and a slide.
    Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Start early, since most of the route is exposed on south-facing slopes.
    Outside, Outside, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Their test setup involved a ramp containing sand to simulate sloping dunes on Mars.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The cosmos is asking us to define our aspirations and inclinations.
    Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 20 Oct. 2025
  • On command, the Arc would detach from the service module and reenter the atmosphere at Mach 20+ with a high sustained g-load to arrive at any location within its orbital inclination zone.
    David Szondy October 13, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Several sections south of town offered up steep, short, rocky inclines that did not feel particularly rideable on a bike loaded with camping gear and five days of food and fuel.
    Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Most roads were nothing more than unpaved, gravel tracks with steep inclines, scary drop-offs, and switchback curves.
    Howard Walker, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Inside, its sloped rooflines, expansive windows, and original stone fireplace made an immediate impression.
    Kristen Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Snipers set up on a very sloped roof on a suspect barricaded in a motel.
    Harper’s Magazine, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Diagonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diagonal. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

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