Meaning & use
angular
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Having sharp, clear edges and corners rather than smooth curves; often said of a face with prominent bones.
Grammar: Goes before a noun or after be: an angular face; his jaw is angular.
Patterns
- an angular face
- angular features
She had an angular face with high cheekbones.
The model's angular features suited the black-and-white photo.
His angular jaw gave him a stern look.
adjectivecomparable
Thin and bony with sharp lines, so that the body seems to have corners.
Grammar: Used for bodies and movement: an angular frame.
Patterns
- an angular figure
The angular teenager grew into his long limbs.
An angular figure stood against the window.
Her angular movements made the dance look robotic.
adjectivebefore a nountechnicalphysics
Measured by an angle, as in a rotating object.
Grammar: Technical use: angular velocity.
Patterns
- angular velocity
- angular distance
The angular velocity of the wheel increased.
Astronomers measure the angular distance between two stars.
Word forms
| comparative | more angular |
|---|---|
| superlative | most angular |
Common combinations
- angular face
- He had an angular face and deep-set eyes.
- angular features
- Her angular features stood out in the photo.
- angular jaw
- An angular jaw can make a face look strong.
- angular design
- The building has an angular design with sharp roofs.
- angular cheekbones
- Her angular cheekbones caught the light.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sharp
- Sharp can describe anything with a keen edge, while angular points to pronounced corners and lines.
- bony
- Bony stresses visible bones and can sound unflattering, unlike the often positive angular.
- gaunt
- Gaunt suggests unhealthy thinness, while angular is usually only about shape.
- chiseled
- Chiseled is a complimentary word for a face with a clearly shaped jaw and cheekbones.
Opposites
Word family
- angle noun
- the space between two lines that meet
- angularity noun
- the quality of being angular
- angularly adverb
- in an angular way
- angled adjective
- set at a slant
Commonly confused: angular or angelic? angular or triangular?
angular vs angelic
Angelic means like an angel, innocent and beautiful, unrelated to sharp lines.
angular vs triangular
Triangular means shaped like a triangle, a specific angular shape.
Practice
Which phrase best matches an angular face?
Choose one answer.
Angular describes sharp lines and pronounced bone structure. Round cheeks are the opposite, and the others describe color and mood.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “angular”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.