OFF-KILTER Synonyms: 144 Similar and Opposite Words

off-kilter

adjective

ˈȯf-ˈkil-tər

Definition of off-kilter

as in bizarre

different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion he's nice enough, but there's something a little off-kilter about him

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in uneven

inclined or twisted to one side to me, the painting on the wall looks a little off-kilter

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of off-kilter Tahan portrays Roger Quincy, an off-kilter man who doesn’t want to be defined by his past but can’t seem to stay stay away from it. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 23 July 2026 Charlie Tahan as Roger Quincy — An off-kilter man who doesn’t want to be defined by his past but can’t seem to stay stay away from it. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 23 July 2026 Rather than acquiesce to the political advisor's preferred La-Z-Boy-style recliner, the designer reupholstered a roomy lounge chair and ottoman in floral fabric, preserving comfort while bringing it into the home’s off-kilter orbit. — Leonora Epstein, Architectural Digest, 22 July 2026 Schiaparelli’s haute couture front row in Paris did not go into full surrealist shoe mode on Monday, but the house’s taste for the slightly off-kilter footwear still had a subtle presence. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for off-kilter

Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-kilter

Adjective

After meeting with a young, female director, who offers him the chance to play a bizarre and deeply unsympathetic character in her debut feature, Niaz leaves the audition unconvinced (and pretty offended).

— Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2026
Barring anything bizarre unfolding in the next few weeks, Smack will almost certainly be the Packers’ Week 1 kicker in Minnesota.

— Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of bizarre

Adjective

Companies are exploring different robotic designs for transportation, industrial work and mobility, with quadruped systems offering potential advantages on uneven terrain.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2026
König suggests strength training and reformer Pilates before casually adjusting my slightly uneven hips with chiropractic confidence.

— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of uneven

Adjective

Twenty-four hours after moving to London from New Zealand, Lavanda wanted to go out for a cocktail but felt strange going alone.

— Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
There are a lot of on-the-road songs about travels through this strange, heartbreaking, and beautiful planet.

— Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of strange

Adjective

But analysts say risks to oil prices remain tilted to the upside.

— , CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
Compared with tilted plastic rafts used in warmer climates, this design attaches flexible solar panels directly to thick, waterproof foam sheets, reducing wind exposure.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 June 2026

Definition of tilted

Adjective

The animation is truly ugly, the characters moving at the framerate of a PowerPoint and looking less like the animals they’re supposed to be than weird hybrid troll creatures.

— Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026
And when the Stray Cats and the Blasters brought their rockabilly revivals to the mainstream in the Eighties, the Cramps were just too weird and nasty for primetime.

— Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of weird

Adjective

If the stove is level but a burner looks crooked or heats unevenly, the problem may be the burner, not the appliance.

— Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2026
Music takes on a different purpose by mid-August—who isn’t feeling a little lazy and crooked by now, spiritually overserved and ready for a nap?

— Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of crooked

Adjective

The end result is Murder Bites, my funny, quirky mystery that takes place in a small town where everyone is obsessed with their tiny designer dogs.

— Mimi Montgomery, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
What is sort of funny is imagining how immersion in the city’s cultural scene fits into Vanderbilt’s broader ambitions.

— Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of funny

Adjective

Summary The Chicago Cubs are currently shuffling their infield due to Dansby Swanson's oblique injury, moving Nico Hoerner to shortstop and Pedro Ramírez to second base.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
There was the oblique strain in early April that sidelined him for more than a month.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of oblique

Browse Nearby Words

off-key

off-kilter

off-limits

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“Off-kilter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-kilter. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of off-kilter

adjective

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