awry

[uh-rahy]

adverb

1. with a turn or twist to one side; askew.

   to glance or look awry.

2. away from the expected or proper direction; amiss; wrong.

   Our plans went awry.

awry

/ əˈraɪ /

adverb

1. with a slant or twist to one side; askew

2. away from the appropriate or right course; amiss

Word History and Origins

Origin of awry¹

First recorded in 1325–75, awry is from Middle English on wry. See a- ¹, wry

Word History and Origins

Origin of awry¹

C14 on wry; see _a- ², _wry

Example Sentences

For example, it charges fixed prices and is on the hook if a test goes awry.

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The report released Thursday attempts to explain how things went awry.

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“There’s just too many loose ends and too many things that could go awry,” said Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond School of Law.

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This study provides insight into exactly how that internal map in our brains works - and what happens when it goes awry.

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Two hundred fifty years in, the American experiment has gone horribly awry, although there is plenty of controversy surrounding the “why” of it.

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Related Words

• amiss 
• askew 
• astray 
• wrong