obliquely
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of obliquely
Explanation
Something done obliquely is done in a roundabout way rather than directly. Constantly mentioning how much you love dogs is a way of obliquely telling your parents that you want a pet. The word obliquely can mean the indirect way something is talked about or the indirect path that something takes. It's also a word used to describe when something is positioned sideways or on a slant, like a ladder propped obliquely against the wall. Ever notice how the rain seems to fall on a slant against a lamp light at night? It's not falling straight, but obliquely or on an angle.
Vocabulary lists containing obliquely
A Wrinkle in Time
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The Boys in the Boat
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"The Overcoat" by Nikolai Gogol
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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.
Ms. Rundell hints only obliquely at the significance of earlier storylines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
"It is simply not credible for a film to claim to be about Michael Jackson without addressing, even obliquely, the accusations, controversies and sadness that dogged his later life," Collin said.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
Bianco also obliquely referred to attacks Hilton has lobbed against the sheriff on the campaign trail.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026
Many schools referred only obliquely to the newly confrontational relationship between the federal government and higher ed in commentary accompanying their investment returns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2025
I could see her there, the picture perched obliquely in his thick hands, her unanswered gaze dead on us both.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
