oblique

1 of 3

adjective

ō-ˈblēk How to pronounce oblique (audio)
ə-,
-ˈblīk;
military usually
-ˈblīk How to pronounce oblique (audio)
1
a
: neither perpendicular nor parallel : inclined
oblique lines
b
: having the axis not perpendicular to the base
an oblique cone
c
: having no right angle
an oblique triangle
2
a
: not straightforward : indirect
In her speech she made only oblique references to the scandal.
also : obscure
… much of what there is to see is nuanced and oblique—a shadow of a shadow of a shadow. New Yorker
b
: devious, underhanded
… the open, above-board fury of his mind coagulated, thickened, and sunk to a dull, evil hatred, a wicked, oblique malevolence.Frank Norris
3
: situated at an angle and having one end not inserted on bone
oblique muscles
4
: taken from an airplane with the camera directed horizontally or diagonally downward
an oblique photograph
obliquely adverb
obliqueness noun

oblique

2 of 3

noun

1
: something (such as a line) that is oblique
2
or oblique muscle : any of several oblique muscles
especially : any of the thin flat muscles forming the middle and outer layers of the lateral walls of the abdomen

oblique

3 of 3

adverb

: at a 45 degree angle
To the right oblique, march!

Examples of oblique in a Sentence

Adjective They were painted in oil paints on old-fashioned canvas. But the manner of their portrayal was oblique and enigmatic, with an element of hide-and-seek in which hiding most often won out over seeking. John Russell, New York Times Magazine, 11 Nov. 1990
The driveway met the street at an oblique angle, and a jutting corner of the customer's cinderblock building, a large power pole, and a berm of trash (pallets, pails, chunks of wood) made it a dogleg affair. Bryan Di Salvatore, New Yorker, 12 Sept. 1988
The short lines of the letter “k” are oblique lines. gave the eavesdropper an oblique glance out of the corner of her eye Noun We each received a list of every muscle group (back, inner thighs, outer thighs, quads, biceps, obliques, upper abs, etc.), with detailed comments on which ones we needed to change. anonymous, Cosmopolitan, November 2007
He hammered on my back with both fists, but I had a lot of muscle layer to protect back there. Twenty years of working on the lats and the lateral obliques. I got hold of his shirtfront with both hands and pulled him away from the wall and slammed him back up against it. Robert B. Parker, Mortal Stakes, 1975
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.
Adjective
Shake Milton, playing because guard Gabe Vincent missed Tuesday’s game because of an oblique injury, hit a pair of threes in 10 minutes, but the Lakers’ second unit without Russell was badly outscored 32-12. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2025 Out in Aspen Sporting full glam, including a smokey eye and a nude lip, Gorga smiled as she got rid of her garbage while wearing a blue and ecru Dior oblique quilted technical taffeta reversible cropped puffer jacket and dark-colored mini biker shorts. Angel Saunders, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
Side Plank The side plank exercise strengthens your obliques (side abdominal muscles) and other core stabilizer muscles, which help maintain a balanced and upright posture.10 Here's how to do a side plank: Lay on your side with your legs stacked on top of each other. Jakob Roze, Health, 17 Dec. 2024 When the external obliques (plus other core muscles) aren’t strong enough for these tasks, your lower back can start to compensate, Dr. Betiku explains. Christa Sgobba, SELF, 11 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for oblique 

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English oblique, oblike, borrowed from Anglo-French oblic, oblique, borrowed from Latin oblīquus "slanting, transverse," from ob- "against, facing" + -līquus, of uncertain meaning and origin — more at ob-

Noun

derivative of oblique entry 1

Adverb

derivative of oblique entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

circa 1608, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1687, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oblique was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near oblique

Cite this Entry

“Oblique.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oblique. Accessed 6 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

oblique

adjective
ō-ˈblēk,
ə-,
-ˈblīk
1
: having a slanting direction or position : neither perpendicular nor parallel
2
: having the axis not perpendicular to the base
an oblique cone
3
: having no right angle
an oblique triangle
4
a
: not straightforward or direct
b
obliquely adverb
obliqueness noun

Medical Definition

oblique

1 of 2 adjective
ō-ˈblēk How to pronounce oblique (audio) ə- How to pronounce oblique (audio)
-ˈblīk
1
: neither perpendicular nor parallel : being on an incline
2
: situated obliquely and having one end not inserted on bone
oblique muscles
obliquely adverb

oblique

2 of 2 noun
variants or oblique muscle
: any of several oblique muscles: as
a
: either of two flat muscles on each side that form the middle and outer layers of the lateral walls of the abdomen, that have aponeuroses extending medially to ensheathe the rectus muscles and fusing in the midventral line in the linea alba, and that act to compress the abdominal contents and to assist in expelling the contents of various visceral organs (as in urination, defecation, parturition, and expiration):
(1)
: one that forms the outer layer of the lateral abdominal wall

called also external oblique, obliquus externus, obliquus externus abdominis

(2)
: one situated under the external oblique in the lateral and ventral part of the abdominal wall

called also internal oblique, obliquus internus, obliquus internus abdominis

b(1)
: a long thin extraocular muscle that arises just above the margin of the optic foramen, is inserted on the upper part of the eyeball, and moves the eye downward and laterally

called also superior oblique, obliquus superior oculi

(2)
: a short extraocular muscle that arises from the orbital surface of the maxilla, is inserted slightly in front of and below the superior oblique, and moves the eye upward and laterally

called also inferior oblique, obliquus inferior oculi

c(1)
: a muscle that arises from the superior surface of the transverse process of the atlas, passes medially upward to insert into the occipital bone, and functions to extend the head and bend it to the side

called also obliquus capitis superior, obliquus superior

(2)
: a muscle that arises from the apex of the spinous process of the axis, inserts into the transverse process of the atlas, and rotates the atlas turning the face in the same direction

called also obliquus capitis inferior, obliquus inferior

More from Merriam-Webster on oblique

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