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Synonyms

angular

American  
[ang-gyuh-ler] / ˈæŋ gyə lər /
Also angulose,

adjective

  1. having an angle or angles.

  2. consisting of, situated at, or forming an angle.

  3. of, relating to, or measured by an angle.

  4. Physics. pertaining to quantities related to a revolving body that are measured in reference to its axis of revolution.

  5. bony, lean, or gaunt.

    a tall, angular man.

    Antonyms:
    rotund
  6. acting or moving awkwardly.

    Antonyms:
    graceful
  7. stiff in manner; unbending.


angular British  
/ ˈæŋɡjʊlə /

adjective

  1. lean or bony

  2. awkward or stiff in manner or movement

  3. having an angle or angles

  4. placed at an angle

  5. measured by an angle or by the rate at which an angle changes

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of angular

1590–1600; < Latin angulāris having corners or angles, equivalent to angul ( us ) angle 1 + -āris -ar 1

Explanation

Whether it’s a face with strikingly lean bone structure, a tall rectangular building, or something written in Arabic script, anything that is characterized by sharp angles can be described as angular. The word angular describes objects that have sharp angles, such as something with many corners and few soft curves. You’ll also hear it used to describe a person’s face or body. A tall, thin person with prominent bones can be described as angular. The word can be used figuratively to describe movements that are jerky and not smooth, such as the angular dance moves that go with a fast rock song.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing angular

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Angular momentum is familiar in everyday life through spinning objects like bicycle wheels or merry-go-rounds, but at the atomic scale it is deeply connected to magnetism.

From Science Daily • May 24, 2026

“The conflict may have had a chilling effect, but only on the margin,” said Gil Dibner, founder and partner at London-based Angular Ventures, which invests in Israel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 15, 2025

Angular, aggressive, with a huge bonnet and more than a hint of Batmobile, the new design also polarised opinions.

From BBC • Dec. 7, 2024

Angular 6-foot-5 First Presbyterian preacher, popular denouncer of sin.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 5, 2023

Angular and elegant, he was precariously thin, with nervous hands and a shrewd albino face and a short, fiery mop of the reddest hair I had ever seen.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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