off-kilter

American  

[awf-kil-ter, of‐] / ˈɔfˈkɪl tər, ˈɒf‐ /

adjective

1. not exactly straight or balanced; askew; uneven.

   off-kilter paintings on every wall.

2. not completely well; somewhat ill.

   still off-kilter two weeks after the flu.

3. unusual or eccentric; unconventional.

   short stories with off-kilter endings.

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Etymology

Origin of off-kilter

First recorded in 1925–30; off ( def. ) + kilter ( def. )

Example Sentences

“The first scene we did together was when he sings the sea shanty. The first rehearsal is just him going, ‘Aawoo,’” Rhys says, expertly capturing Root’s off-kilter delivery.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

That sequence, like several others in the film, co-written and directed by Daniel Roher, is exciting and off-kilter, edited like a snappy jazz piece.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026

It included absurd videos, off-kilter advertising images, cheesy propaganda, fake news that looks pretty real, junky AI-written books, “workslop” reports that waste coworkers’ time — and lots of talking cats.

From Salon • Jan. 13, 2026

Unlike most modern pop albums, it's the work of just three people, with Rae and her collaborators Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser establishing a stylish, spacey and occasionally off-kilter sonic palette all of their own.

From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025

A new sadness blanketed him, the sadness of his coming days, when he would feel the world slightly off-kilter, his vision unfocused.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie