off-kilter

adjective

off-kil·​ter ˈȯf-ˈkil-tər How to pronounce off-kilter (audio)
Synonyms of off-kilternext
1
: not in perfect balance : a bit askew
off-kilter camera angles
His hat was slightly off-kilter.
2
: eccentric, unconventional
off-kilter characters
an off-kilter approach

Synonyms of off-kilter

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Examples of off-kilter in a Sentence

he's nice enough, but there's something a little off-kilter about him to me, the painting on the wall looks a little off-kilter
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Scott said of his guidance for production designer Chris Seavers, who was tasked with creating the creepy airport where off-kilter flight attendant Allison Janney lures the film’s heroes to potential doom. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2026 Rather than treating the producer’s off-kilter beats as something to overcome, Rhymes hears their humanity. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 25 Aug. 2026 The other buttons are black, which is a nice off-kilter touch. — Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Featuring an ensemble populated by killer character actors like Jacki Weaver, Luis Guzmán, Kurtwood Smith, Timothy Spall, and Michael Chernus, Perpetual Grace, LTD is an off-kilter neo-noir that mines deranged humor from its eccentric characters. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for off-kilter

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-kilter was in 1929

Rhymes for off-kilter

See All Rhymes for off-kilter

Browse Nearby Words

off-key
off-kilter
off-label
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Off-kilter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-kilter. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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