obliquely
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of obliquely
Explanation
Something done obliquely is done in a roundabout way rather than directly. Constantly mentioning how much you love dogs is a way of obliquely telling your parents that you want a pet. The word obliquely can mean the indirect way something is talked about or the indirect path that something takes. It's also a word used to describe when something is positioned sideways or on a slant, like a ladder propped obliquely against the wall. Ever notice how the rain seems to fall on a slant against a lamp light at night? It's not falling straight, but obliquely or on an angle.
Vocabulary lists containing obliquely
A Wrinkle in Time
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The Boys in the Boat
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"The Overcoat" by Nikolai Gogol
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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.
Ms. Rundell hints only obliquely at the significance of earlier storylines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Though she described the settlement as a done deal, she obliquely suggested changes might still be afoot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
And even as he was lauded in 2005 near the end of his tenure, he was obliquely warning of excesses he saw around him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
"It is simply not credible for a film to claim to be about Michael Jackson without addressing, even obliquely, the accusations, controversies and sadness that dogged his later life," Collin said.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
He looked at me obliquely with darkening eyes, but would say no more.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
