diagonal 1 of 2

Definition of diagonalnext
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 diagonal
Adjective
Lane was gifted with that kind of face and personality, too, replete with diagonal eyebrows that join his cheekbones in a quizzical demeanor that, throughout his career, has signaled the joys of life. Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026 Plus, there is a diagonal corner elastic that can help keep it in place night after night. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
Slice tenderloins crosswise on the diagonal. Cathy Thomas, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for diagonal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diagonal
Adjective
  • With Doncic and Reaves (Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain) out, the Lakers needed other players to fill that void.
    Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Sousa, returning from an oblique injury, will pitch on back-to-back days as the final step of his rehab assignment before Houston activates him.
    Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Strongest winds will occur near desert slopes, and through passes, where there could locally be gusts up to 60 mph.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026
  • This can be done by directing water into soil or gravel, and creating a slight slope or grade away from your home flat surfaces.
    Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • As part of his new collection for the brand, Arnold unveiled a new shape—a slightly sloping, almost smile-like pleat that’s simultaneously nonchalant and fully sophisticated.
    Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Their test setup involved a ramp containing sand to simulate sloping dunes on Mars.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • And yes, Rick and Emily, huge allies, love working with them, no inclination of wanting to turn on them.
    Terry Terrones, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Lawlor’s book contains chapters devoted to politics, but her inclination to reach for examples of the reasonable and unreasonable that any reader will intuitively share serves her less well here.
    Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The portable treadmill is designed to fit easily into your space, turning any room into a walking track with adjustable incline, remote control, and a display for tracking distance and calories.
    Tory Johnson, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
  • The Sleep Foundation notes that this incline uses gravity to prevent acid from flowing back into the esophagus.
    Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • His sloped shoulders suggested bodily power that was sleepy and sly; his large head and dark, badly cut hair amplified the weight and solidity of him, but his lips were sensitive and a little slack, as if yearning for something he’d been long deprived of.
    Mary Gaitskill, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2026
  • The sloped, landscaped half-acre lot offers a terrace and a two-car garage.
    The Week US, TheWeek, 30 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Diagonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diagonal. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on diagonal

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster