awry
Americanadverb
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with a turn or twist to one side; askew.
to glance or look awry.
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away from the expected or proper direction; amiss; wrong.
Our plans went awry.
adverb
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with a slant or twist to one side; askew
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away from the appropriate or right course; amiss
Etymology
Origin of awry
First recorded in 1325–75, awry is from Middle English on wry. See a- 1, wry
Explanation
When something goes wrong with a decent plan, you say it has gone awry. Losing your backpack is a mistake, but when you realize it contained your ticket and your passport, your vacation plans really go awry. Wry means "twisted" — so going awry means getting "twisted up." Awry is similar to askew, which means "off, out of line." Though when you compare the roots skew, "turned at an angle" and wry, "twisted," you see the subtle difference between the two words.
Vocabulary lists containing awry
"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
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"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Four
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"Is Survival Selfish?" Vocabulary from the argument
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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.
However, some such efforts have been met with user backlash, or mockery, when these tools go awry.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
It is when Mary resigns herself to learning and high-mindedness that her life-scheme goes happily awry.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
Despite your best efforts, these conversations may still go awry.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026
Everything’s already awry when, suddenly, a dinosaur walks past their window.
From Salon • Apr. 12, 2026
She hates it when her carefully made plans go awry.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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.
