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as in diagonally
in a line or direction running from corner to corner
we hung the twisted strips of crepe paper athwart to the floor and ceiling so that they formed giant crosses on all four walls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of athwart
John Fabian Witt, The New Republic, 26 Aug. 2022
One of the world’s largest container ships was wedged athwart the Suez Canal on March 23rd, blown off course by high winds.
—The Economist, 27 Mar. 2021
The outgoing Trump administration is standing athwart a massive investment management trend.
—Michael Taylor, ExpressNews.com, 2 Dec. 2020
Her mother, feeling abandoned by her constantly traveling husband, had affairs; her father’s heartfelt liberalism would run athwart of the postwar Red Scare.
—Elsa Dixler, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Apr. 2020
Preposition
An obstructionist Supreme Court, however, stood athwart the New Deal’s path.
—John Fabian Witt, The New Republic, 26 Aug. 2022
One of the world’s largest container ships was wedged athwart the Suez Canal on March 23rd, blown off course by high winds.
—The Economist, 27 Mar. 2021
The outgoing Trump administration is standing athwart a massive investment management trend.
—Michael Taylor, ExpressNews.com, 2 Dec. 2020
Her mother, feeling abandoned by her constantly traveling husband, had affairs; her father’s heartfelt liberalism would run athwart of the postwar Red Scare.
—Elsa Dixler, BostonGlobe.com, 5 Apr. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for athwart
Adverb
-
Gas and dust swirling around a black hole block visible light, but infrared light can punch right through.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Continue to cook, stirring, until pasta is al dente and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes more.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
11 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Running diagonally through Livingston County and plunging into Wayne County, the Howell Anticline is an ancient fracture and one of the region's largest structural features.—
Ahmad Bajjey,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
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From bay to headlands, the Crosstown Trail slices diagonally across San Francisco in a 17-mile arc.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Preposition
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As the discipline grew in popularity, Warren’s students began to take home trophies from tournaments across the country and internationally.—
Everett Eaton,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
If multiple hypotheses work to explain the data equally well but one conflicts with reality in some other realm (and the other doesn’t), the one that’s valid across the widest range of applicability is superior.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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But then over here, rumblings about the future of the company and people worrying what does this mean not only for themselves but for the prospects of Rolling Stone, which is a life mantra and mission that people came from all over the world to be a part of.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
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That the film was shot in Germany reminds that this can happen anywhere, not just over there.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Preposition
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Since June, federal immigration raids have disrupted neighborhoods and communities across Los Angeles and around the nation, including at work sites, along neighborhood streets and in commercial areas.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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Beyond the physical health risks, doctors and lawyers warn the societal shame around menstruation has a corrosive impact on women’s mental wellbeing and sense of self.—
Sana Noor Haq,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Athwart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/athwart. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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