kilter
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of kilter
First recorded in 1630–40; variant of dial. kelter < ?
Explanation
The noun kilter means "balance," or "a state of working well," but you'll only find it in the phrase "out of kilter," meaning "not working right." When things are off balance or out of whack, they're out of kilter, or off-kilter. If your bike keeps pulling to one side, or your toaster is only toasting one side of the bread you insert, they're both out of kilter. If you're studying hard and forgetting to eat well and exercise, you might also feel out of kilter. The word comes from the now-obsolete kelter, although the origin of this word is unknown.
Vocabulary lists containing kilter
Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I A Woman?" (1863)
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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.
For some, the Treasury Department’s response only added to the sense of a typically staid market gone disturbingly off kilter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Lamar Jackson was out of kilter as the Ravens missed chances - although they were left fuming by a late touchdown being chalked off.
From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2025
Loren Cain, who was born and raised in Orem and studied at Utah Valley University, said the world feels off kilter.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2025
Mr Rodríguez says that during daylight hours, when solar energy output is particularly strong, the supply-demand balance can be pushed out of kilter, having an impact on prices.
From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2024
In the second quarter, he lined up and saw the Cooper secondary once again out of kilter.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
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.
