askew

[uh-skyoo]

adverb

1. to one side; out of line; in a crooked position; awry.

   to wear one's hat askew;

   to hang a picture askew.

2. with disapproval, scorn, contempt, etc.; disdainfully.

   They looked askew at the painting.

adjective

1. crooked; awry.

   Your clothes are all askew.

askew

/ əˈskjuː /

adverb

1. at an oblique angle; towards one side; awry

Other Word Forms

• askewness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of askew¹

First recorded in 1565–75; a- ¹ + skew

Example Sentences

She turned back to the mirror and poked at the poor little bird, which had fallen askew.

Read more on Literature

In the fourth quarter of 2025, demand growth will even ease back compared to the previous three months, "adding to market balances that look increasingly askew", the IEA said.

Read more on Barron's

Young Andrew, by contrast, looked a bit of a scapegrace, tie askew.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Economic comparisons, even after data reporting returns, will be askew until normalization sets back in.

Read more on MarketWatch

Now slightly askew, we ascend many stairs and descend many hills from The Old Man and cross the harbor toward Kowloon.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• awry 
• off-center 

When To Use

Spelling tips for askew

The spelling of askew shouldn’t be confused with the somewhat similar sounding word eschew. How to spell askew: Think of askew as a combination of the adjective-forming prefix a- and the verb skew (adjectives like asleep and ablaze are formed in the same way). Or pretend that someone asks you if a picture frame is askew, and that you respond really rudely: “Do you even have to ask? Ew.”