# askew

> English word · Adjective · IPA /əˈskju/ · frequency rank #40,561

## Definitions
1. Turned or twisted to one side.
2. Untoward, unfavourable.

## Etymology
From Old Norse á ská (“askew, askance”), equivalent to a- + skew. Compare Icelandic á ská (“diagonally”), Danish skrå (“slanting, oblique”), German Schräge (“slope, slant”).

## Easily confused with
- **asks** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/askew-vs-asks)
- **asset** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/askew-vs-asset)
- **asses** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/askew-vs-asses)
- **aspen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/askew-vs-aspen)
- **assed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/askew-vs-assed)
- **Askin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/askew-vs-askin)
- **aster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/askew-vs-aster)
- **ask** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ask-vs-askew)
- **ake** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ake-vs-askew)
- **anew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/anew-vs-askew)
- **ashe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ashe-vs-askew)
- **asked** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/asked-vs-askew)
- **ashes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ashes-vs-askew)
- **Asher** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/asher-vs-askew)
- **Aiken** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aiken-vs-askew)
- **Agnew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/agnew-vs-askew)

## Common misspellings (7)
`aksew`, `asekw`, `askeww`, `askkew`, `askwe`, `asskew`, `sakew`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/askew