kilter

noun

kil·​ter ˈkil-tər How to pronounce kilter (audio)
Synonyms of kilter
: proper or usual state or condition : order
out of kilter

Synonyms of kilter

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Examples of kilter in a Sentence

since I dropped my food processor, it's been all out of kilter
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those include hot water temperatures of 86 to 88 degrees, as well as weak upper-level winds that allow the storm to develop without being knocked off-kilter. — Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026 The Music Lovers is a dual portrait of the off-kilter relationship between the gay composer Tchaikovsky and his hypersexual wife, Nina. — Juan A. Ramírez, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2026 Fair Ones is set in the aftermath of their longtime friend Claire’s death, as Mara and Jen, two Brooklyn women in their forties, are off kilter, cycling through shock, numbness, denial, distraction, anger, isolation, regret, depression. — Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2026 The off-kilter energy of my previous work has trapped me in these kinds of parts. — Kyle MacLachlan, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kilter

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kilter was in 1628

Phrases Containing kilter

Rhymes for kilter

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Browse Nearby Words

kilt
kilter
kiltie
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Cite this Entry

“Kilter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kilter. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

kilter

noun
kil·​ter ˈkil-tər How to pronounce kilter (audio)
: proper condition
the TV is out of kilter
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