WordGarden.ioslant
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /slˈɑːnt/
US
- /ˈslænt/
Meanings
Noun
a slope or diagonal direction
a particular angle or bias in how something is presented
an offensive slur for an East Asian person
Verb
to present something from a particular angle or with a bias
Adjective
tilted or diagonal rather than level or upright
Beyond the definition
This word is not just about hills. It can describe a leaning angle, like the slope of a roof or the way rain comes through the air at an angle. It can also mean a bias or a particular way of looking at something. A news report might have a political slant, which means it tells the story from one side more than another.
Imagine a detective working on a case. They need to look at the facts without a personal slant, or they may read the evidence the wrong way. Now picture sunlight coming through a window at a sharp slant. In both cases, the idea is the same: something is leaning, either in space or in thought.
The word "slant" works in two main ways, and both share the idea of something leaning to one side. In the physical sense, it means an angle, a slope, or a tilt. You can talk about the slant of a roof, the slant of a hillside, the slant of handwriting, or the slant of sunlight as it enters a room. In these cases, the word points to something that is not straight up and down or perfectly flat.
In a more figurative sense, "slant" means a bias, a viewpoint, or a way of presenting something from a certain side. A newspaper story may have a political slant. A person may take a negative slant on a problem if they keep noticing what is wrong. This meaning is common when people talk about opinion, media, argument, and interpretation.
"Slant" can also be a verb. If someone slants a story, they present it in a way that pushes the reader toward a certain opinion. That does not always mean the facts are false, but it does mean the facts may be arranged or described to favor one side.
So, whether you are talking about a roof, a beam of light, a piece of writing, or a point of view, "slant" suggests a lean away from the straight or neutral line, either in shape or in meaning.
Examples
- 1
Road slope
The road slants down toward the river.
- 2
Rain angle
Rain hit the windows at a slant all afternoon.
- 3
Handwriting
She wrote the title on a slight slant.
- 4
News bias
The newspaper's coverage had a clear political slant.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Advertising bias
The ad slants the issue to make the product sound essential.
- Patternslant + issue/story
present it in a way that supports a particular opinion
- 6
Target audience
The training program is slanted toward people with some office experience.
- Patternslanted toward + group/purpose
designed mainly for that group or purpose
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- political slant
- media slant
- put a slant on
- negative slant
Word family
Explore
- partiality
- loaded language
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- slantnounverb
Forms
- slantedpast tenseverbnoun
- slanting-ing formverbnoun
- slantspluralnounverb