skew

1 of 3

verb

ˈskyü 

skewed; skewing; skews

intransitive verb

1

: to take an oblique course

2

: to look askance

transitive verb

1

: to make, set, or cut on the skew

2

: to distort especially from a true value or symmetrical form

skew

2 of 3

adjective

1

: set, placed, or running obliquely : slanting

2

: more developed on one side or in one direction than another : not symmetrical

skew

3 of 3

noun

: a deviation from a straight line : slant

Examples of skew in a Sentence

Verb

They were accused of skewing the facts to fit their theory.

He accused them of skewing the rules in their favor.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Popular on Variety The biggest of those remaining issues, in NAI’s view, was NAI’s push to hold a vote among all Paramount Global shareholders on the deal in order to help shield NAI from shareholder lawsuits claiming the terms were skewed to favor the controlling shareholder. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 19 June 2024

Autonomous and human-driven vehicles tend to encounter different roads in different conditions, which can skew accident data. —IEEE Spectrum, 18 June 2024

Adjective

This marks the third home for Prodigy, which originated as a Nickelodeon series given its younger skew that does not match the rest of the franchise. —Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 June 2024

Why Regional Trumps Global The major reason networks skew regional is simple: geography matters. —Shannon K. O'Neil, Foreign Affairs, 21 June 2022

Noun

Because of New York’s overwhelmingly Democratic skew, in 2021, the vast majority of winners of the Democratic primaries for City Council went on to win the general election. —Alexander Protopapas, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2024

Back then, bitcoin's 180-day skew and the 365-day skew peaked above 3.15% and 1%, respectively. —Omkar Godbole, Forbes, 3 June 2022

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to escape, run obliquely, from Anglo-French *eskiuer, eschiver to escape, avoid — more at eschew

First Known Use

Verb

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

Adjective

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1688, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing skew

• skew curve
• skew distribution
• skew lines
• skew-whiff

Kids Definition

skew

verb

ˈskyü

1

: to take a slanting course : move or turn aside : swerve

2

: to distort from a true value or symmetrical form

skewed the facts to fit their theory