cockeyed

American  

[kok-ahyd] / ˈkɒkˌaɪd /

adjective

1. cross-eyed.

2. having a squinting eye.

3. twisted, tilted, or slanted to one side.

4. Slang.

   1. foolish; absurd.

   2. intoxicated; drunk.

   3. completely wrong.

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cockeyed British  

/ ˈkɒkˌaɪd /

adjective

1. afflicted with cross-eye, squint, or any other visible abnormality of the eyes

2. appearing to be physically or logically abnormal, absurd, etc; crooked; askew

   cockeyed ideas

3. drunk

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Other Word Forms

• cockeyedly adverb
• cockeyedness noun

Etymology

Origin of cockeyed

1715–25; cock ² (v.) + eyed

Explanation

Something that's off-kilter, crooked, or strangely twisted is cockeyed. If the cockeyed pictures on your grandparents' wall drive you crazy, you may need to go around their house straightening them all. If your hat's on cockeyed, it's askew, leaning to one side, and if the lights on your friend's Christmas tree are cockeyed, they're drooping in a lopsided way. Something that doesn't make sense or isn't believable can also be called cockeyed: "Then he told this cockeyed story about having lunch with the President." In the 1920s and 30s, the word also meant "drunk." It started out, in the 19th century, meaning "squint-eyed."

Example Sentences

Mr. Braun, who appeared in the series “Succession,” is a good foot taller than his co-star, giving an amusing physical aspect to their cockeyed friendship.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

Likewise, the cockeyed view of these Texans, who sometimes, but not always, let other people get away with things, is endearing.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2024

Then as now, I am for the stooge, the one with the energy, the cockeyed view of the world, the nut.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2023

Or, in the case of this forgettably titled ensemble dud, they’re just gung-ho, cockeyed optimists.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 6, 2023

The facts were cockeyed, but Jemmy grabbed his birdcage, backed off—and was gone.

From "The Whipping Boy" by Sid Fleischman