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tilted; tilting; tilts
1
: to cause to have an inclination
2
a
: to point or thrust in or as if in a tilt
tilt a lance
b
: to charge against
tilt an adversary
1
a
: to move or shift so as to lean or incline : slant
b
: to incline, tend, or become drawn toward an opinion, course of action, or one side of a controversy
2
a
: to engage in a combat with lances : joust
b
: to make an impetuous attack
tilt at social evils
tilter
noun
1
2
b
3
: any of various contests resembling or suggesting tilting with lances
tilt
adjective
: a canopy for a wagon, boat, or stall
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 7 Mar. 2023
Suspicions tilt toward Suspect A; Suspect A becomes the next victim.
—New York Times, 23 Feb. 2023
These opposite trends could tilt the battlefield advantage toward Ukraine.
—David Axe, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
Perfect for thrillseekers, the craft can tilt aggressively to each side and dive to six feet for short periods of time.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2023
The new maps tilt heavily in Republicans’ favor, with 63 of the 99 Assembly seats and 23 of the 33 Senate seats leaning toward the GOP, according to an analysis by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
—Corrinne Hess, Journal Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2023
How to Treat It: First, tilt your head back in the shower to make sure your shampoo and conditioner aren't running down your forehead, says Dr. Gohara.
—Jennifer G. Sullivan, Allure, 30 Jan. 2023
Next, tilt your pelvis forward rolling onto your tailbone.
—Macaela Mackenzie, Glamour, 4 Jan. 2023
Only her hips tilt forward to face the viewer (improbably, because there is no visible twist in her torso).
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2022
Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2023
Conte left Inter in the summer of 2021 due to the club’s worsening financial situation and a lack of money to make a serious tilt in Europe.
—Emmet Gates, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2023
Auburn's first win in that run: a 77-71 overtime thriller in an Elite Eight tilt in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2019, which sent the program to its first-ever Final Four.
—Ryan Black, The Courier-Journal, 25 Feb. 2023
Anderson and Sherman, professional friends who wanted to help Fishback, were perplexed by his tilt toward self-sabotage.
—C.j. Chivers, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2023
The piles of awards and honors that Jordan and James have accumulated tilt toward Jordan, but both are GOAT-worthy.
—Mitchell Thorson, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2023
James has three games on his docket before getting to that home tilt against the Bucks.
—cleveland, 2 Feb. 2023
Last season, Auburn’s closest game at home was in that top-25 tilt against Kentucky.
—Tom Green | Tgreen@al.com, al, 25 Jan. 2023
Of course, that will leave China increasingly with its own back to the wall, defensive and hostile, faced by a democratic India with a Western tilt.
—David A. Andelman, CNN, 23 Jan. 2023
See More
Verb
Its head can pan 360 degrees in range and tilt 90 degrees.
—Kevin Cortez, Popular Mechanics, 7 Mar. 2023
Suspicions tilt toward Suspect A; Suspect A becomes the next victim.
—New York Times, 23 Feb. 2023
These opposite trends could tilt the battlefield advantage toward Ukraine.
—David Axe, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
Perfect for thrillseekers, the craft can tilt aggressively to each side and dive to six feet for short periods of time.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2023
The new maps tilt heavily in Republicans’ favor, with 63 of the 99 Assembly seats and 23 of the 33 Senate seats leaning toward the GOP, according to an analysis by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
—Corrinne Hess, Journal Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2023
How to Treat It: First, tilt your head back in the shower to make sure your shampoo and conditioner aren't running down your forehead, says Dr. Gohara.
—Jennifer G. Sullivan, Allure, 30 Jan. 2023
Next, tilt your pelvis forward rolling onto your tailbone.
—Macaela Mackenzie, Glamour, 4 Jan. 2023
Only her hips tilt forward to face the viewer (improbably, because there is no visible twist in her torso).
—Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 29 Dec. 2022
Noun
The princess seems to favor designs with a tilt, like this lovely number from the 2011 wedding of cousin Zara to Mike Tindall.
—Stephanie Petit, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2023
Conte left Inter in the summer of 2021 due to the club’s worsening financial situation and a lack of money to make a serious tilt in Europe.
—Emmet Gates, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2023
Auburn's first win in that run: a 77-71 overtime thriller in an Elite Eight tilt in Kansas City, Missouri, in 2019, which sent the program to its first-ever Final Four.
—Ryan Black, The Courier-Journal, 25 Feb. 2023
Anderson and Sherman, professional friends who wanted to help Fishback, were perplexed by his tilt toward self-sabotage.
—C.j. Chivers, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2023
The piles of awards and honors that Jordan and James have accumulated tilt toward Jordan, but both are GOAT-worthy.
—Mitchell Thorson, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2023
James has three games on his docket before getting to that home tilt against the Bucks.
—cleveland, 2 Feb. 2023
Last season, Auburn’s closest game at home was in that top-25 tilt against Kentucky.
—Tom Green | Tgreen@al.com, al, 25 Jan. 2023
Of course, that will leave China increasingly with its own back to the wall, defensive and hostile, faced by a democratic India with a Western tilt.
—David A. Andelman, CNN, 23 Jan. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tilt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1) and Noun (1)
Middle English tulten, tilten to fall over, cause to fall, from Old English *tyltan, *tieltan, akin to Old English tealt unstable, tealtian to totter
Noun (2)
Middle English teld, telte tent, canopy, from Old English teld; akin to Old High German zelt tent
First Known Use
Verb (1)
1594, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (1)
1507, in the meaning defined at sense 4a
Noun (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of tilt was
in the 15th century
Phrases Containing tilt
Dictionary Entries Near tilt
Cite this Entry
“Tilt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tilt. Accessed 30 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
tilt
2 of 2 noun1
: a contest on horseback in which two opponents charging with lances try to unhorse each other : joust
2
: a contest with words between opponents
3
: speed entry 1 sense 1b
at full tilt
4
: the act of tilting : the state or position of being tilted
More from Merriam-Webster on tilt
Nglish: Translation of tilt for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of tilt for Arabic Speakers
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