What does askew mean?
Askew describes something that is not straight, level, or correctly positioned — a picture hanging crookedly, a hat tipped to one side, a stack of books leaning out of line. It works both as an adjective ('the sign was askew') and, less commonly, as an adverb ('she wore her scarf askew'). The word typically follows verbs of placement such as hang, sit, tilt, or wear, and its connotation is neutral to gently comic: askew suggests disorder, carelessness, or the aftermath of some disturbance, whether a gust of wind or a hasty exit. Its nearest neighbor, askance, refers instead to a sideways glance expressing suspicion, so the two should not be interchanged despite their similar sound. Compact, vivid, and instantly pictorial, askew is an economical way to convey visual misalignment in a single word.
Not in a straight or level position; crooked, tilted, or turned to one side.
"The wind had knocked the fence post askew."
Usually predicative, following verbs like hang, sit, or lean.
In a crooked, oblique, or off-center manner or position.
"He wore his cap askew over one ear."
'Askew' literally began as the phrase 'a skew' — 'on skew' — before fusing into the single word we use for everything from crooked paintings to tilted hats.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of askew
Askew arose in English during the early 17th century from the fused phrase 'a skew', meaning 'on skew' — that is, in an oblique position. The base word skew itself entered Middle English from Old Northern French, ultimately carrying the sense of slanting or diverging from a straight line. Its closest relative in modern English is skew (and the derived noun skewness), which retains the same core idea of deviation from alignment.
How askew is actually used
Askew functions chiefly as a predicative adjective after verbs such as hang, sit, lean, or wear, rather than attributively before a noun ('an askew frame' is awkward). It carries no particular register restriction and appears comfortably in both literary description and everyday speech. It always implies a visible deviation from true alignment, so it suits concrete objects more than abstract concepts.
Easily confused with askew
Askance means with disapproval or suspicion ('she looked at him askance'), while askew describes something physically crooked or off-center.
Skew is the verb or adjective meaning to distort or be distorted along an axis (often statistically), whereas askew specifically means visibly crooked or tilted out of alignment.