WordGarden.iodiagonally
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /daɪˈæɡənəli/
US
- /daɪˈæɡənəli/
Meanings
Adverb
in a slanting direction or position across something
Beyond the definition
Imagine drawing a line from one corner of a square to the opposite corner—that's moving diagonally! It means moving at a slant rather than straight across (horizontally) or straight up and down (vertically). You might cut a sandwich diagonally, fold a piece of paper diagonally, or place a photo diagonally on a page so it sits at an angle. Sometimes people also use it in a more figurative way, like saying you approached a situation diagonally—meaning you didn't go straight at it, but tried a different viewpoint or an indirect route.
Think of a chessboard: the bishops move diagonally! Or picture the stripes on a flag—if they run from corner to corner instead of straight across, they are positioned diagonally. Sometimes the word is used figuratively, such as saying someone took a "diagonal approach" to solving a problem, meaning they followed an indirect or unconventional route to find the answer.
"Diagonally" describes an action or direction that runs at an angle rather than straight across or straight up and down. On shapes like squares and rectangles, it often means going from one corner to the opposite (non-adjacent) corner. On a grid, it can also mean moving in a way that combines a sideways shift with an upward or downward shift—like taking a step across and a step up at the same time.
In practical terms, you might arrange furniture diagonally in a room to create a more dynamic sense of space, or hang pictures on a wall following a diagonal line for visual interest. In geometry, while a "diagonal" is a line segment joining two non-adjacent vertices of a polygon, moving "diagonally" is the act of following that slanted path. Even the visual layout of a checkerboard relies on the diagonal alignment of same-colored squares.
The term isn't limited to physical objects. You can think diagonally, which implies approaching a problem from an unusual angle or connecting ideas in a way that isn't obvious at first. In the same spirit, someone might describe a "diagonal approach" as one that avoids the most direct path and instead finds a clever workaround. Whether describing lines on a page or a way of solving problems, "diagonally" always keeps the idea of an angle—a departure from the expected straight line.
Examples
- 1
Path
A narrow path runs diagonally across the field.
- 2
Seating
She was sitting diagonally across from me at the table.
- Phrasediagonally across from
on the other side, but not directly in front
- 3
Screen damage
A long crack spread diagonally across the phone screen.
- 4
Food preparation
Cut the sandwich diagonally so the pieces are easier to hold.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Parking
The cars were parked diagonally along the curb.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- diagonallyadverb