Meaning & use

obliquity

noun·Advanced

The quality of being oblique; a deviation from what is direct, correct, or morally straightforward.

See it in a sentence

Astronomers measured the obliquity of the planet's axis relative to its orbit.

Critics noted the obliquity of his answers whenever reporters asked about the scandal.

A note on using this word

Obliquity has a technical sense in astronomy, describing axial tilt, and a figurative sense describing evasive or morally crooked behavior.

Words with a similar meaning

deviationindirectness

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

directness

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