Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective perpendicular differ from other similar words?

The words plumb and vertical are common synonyms of perpendicular. While all three words mean "being at right angles to a base line," perpendicular may stress the straightness of a line making a right angle with any other line, not necessarily a horizontal one.

the parallel bars are perpendicular to the support posts

When is plumb a more appropriate choice than perpendicular?

While in some cases nearly identical to perpendicular, plumb stresses an exact verticality determined (as with a plumb line) by earth's gravity.

make sure that the wall is plumb

When is it sensible to use vertical instead of perpendicular?

While the synonyms vertical and perpendicular are close in meaning, vertical suggests a line or direction rising straight upward toward a zenith.

the side of the cliff is almost vertical

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 perpendicular But the team found that the satellite galaxy has a gravitational pull, perpendicular to Andromeda, that changes the Milky Way’s motion enough to reduce the chance of a merger between the two giant galaxies. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 2 June 2025 At one point, Cortez slows his pickup down on the freeway and pulls it to a stop perpendicular to lanes of traffic. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2025 Plus, sitting catty-corner with the original Courrèges store on a shopping street perpendicular to luxury shopping artery Avenue Montaigne and a stone’s throw from the Champs-Élysées, the store is ideally placed to draw a more international clientele to Molli’s doorstep. Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 29 Apr. 2025 With Earth’s axis perpendicular to the sun, a unique interaction between solar wind and Earth's magnetosphere weakens Earth’s magnetic field slightly. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perpendicular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perpendicular
Adjective
  • The hard wax formula, combined with a properly sized wick, helps ensure a clean, drip-free burn (as long as the candle stays upright and vertical).
    Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 18 June 2025
  • Strategic vertical integration calls for a broader mandate.
    John Knotts, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • And Hobson's longtime friend Howard Schultz also earned standing ovations from store managers.
    Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 15 June 2025
  • The current standing size of the Germany army is just 181,000.
    Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • Plants add stunning texture and shining color to the garden with metallic, lavender-blue bracts surrounding flowers that stand erect on purple stems.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 6 June 2025
  • Carlin said, as soldiers need to guide their horses while keeping erect posture.
    Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 27 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Perpendicular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perpendicular. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on perpendicular

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