1
as in bizarre
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion
he's nice enough, but there's something a little off-kilter about him
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneven
inclined or twisted to one side
to me, the painting on the wall looks a little off-kilter
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of off-kilter
Who knows how many fights didn’t break out in a melee because the flight crew spotted off-kilter passengers and knew how to listen and empathize to defuse a disruption?
—
Thomas Black, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
Give me an off-kilter recommendation, defended well.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025
Soon, DiRusso had a devoted, captivated audience built almost entirely online who saw her music as a joyous and off-kilter mirror to their own lives.
—Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 19 Dec. 2025
There are many, many wonderful films to get excited about seeing next year, but tucked in safe alongside the big budget event films and off-kilter superhero offerings, there’s one bonkers indie gem to get really hyped for.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-kilter
Thomas Black, Twin Cities, 21 Dec. 2025
Give me an off-kilter recommendation, defended well.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025
Soon, DiRusso had a devoted, captivated audience built almost entirely online who saw her music as a joyous and off-kilter mirror to their own lives.
—Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 19 Dec. 2025
There are many, many wonderful films to get excited about seeing next year, but tucked in safe alongside the big budget event films and off-kilter superhero offerings, there’s one bonkers indie gem to get really hyped for.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off-kilter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-kilter
Adjective
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His work is marked by unusual, even bizarre, material choices that encrust spatial compositions reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s innovative open space plans.—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Jan. 2026
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Some unnamed Chicago bartender in the early 1880s had the improbable idea of taking a Whiskey Sour and adding a little red wine to the top, inventing in a bizarre flash of insightone of the great warm weather whiskey drinks of our time.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Kuminga then saw a combination of injuries and uneven performances lead to lessened playing time before eventually falling out of the rotation altogether.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
23 Jan. 2026
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Yet access to the advanced financial skills required for these roles remains uneven.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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There was this glamorous Italian dancer and this strange juxtaposition, like beauty with a beast.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
21 Jan. 2026
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People were interacting at workstations with computers, flipping through books on shelves, reading mysterious notes on desks and watching strange videos.—
Jan Wagner,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Your stairs are nothing more than a narrow, tilted floor, much like a child’s slide at a playground.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
3 Jan. 2026
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Paramount did not bargain for WBD to foster, whether intentionally or unintentionally, a tilted and unfair process.—
Julia Boorstin,Lillian Rizzo,Alex Sherman,David Faber,
CNBC,
4 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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The then-unknown Michael Shannon, whose early career roles in Chicago were every bit as weird as this play, starred in that production.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
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But this year, due to weird scheduling, the BAFTA nods will come out on January 27, after the Oscar nominations.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Descend its famously crooked path, flanked by cascading hydrangeas and storybook Edwardian homes—then watch cars zigzag through eight tight switchbacks while tourists crowd the sidewalks, snapping photos of its surreal descent.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
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Byrne and Dumars get drawn into a conspiracy surrounding a colossal stash of illicit money, which is coveted by cartel leaders and crooked cops alike.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Like life is a pool table but the billiard balls are all weighted in a funny way.—
Adrienne LaFrance,
The Atlantic,
22 Jan. 2026
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Blurring the line between performance and personal crisis, comedian Maria Bamford turns her mental health journey into material that’s riotously funny and ultimately inspiring.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Darnold, who had been listed as questionable because of an oblique injury, guided the Seahawks on two more scoring drives before San Francisco got on the board with the first of its two field goals.—
Andrew Destin,
Baltimore Sun,
18 Jan. 2026
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However, oblique impacts – landing at an angle – can lead to abrupt stops that cause the brain to rotate inside the skull, leading to a higher number of traumatic brain injuries.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
18 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off-kilter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-kilter. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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