slant

[slant, slahnt]

verb (used without object)

1. to veer or angle away from a given level or line, especially from a horizontal; slope.

   Synonyms: incline, lean

2. to have or be influenced by a subjective point of view, bias, personal feeling or inclination, etc. (usually followed bytoward ).

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to slope.

2. to distort (information) by rendering it unfaithfully or incompletely, especially in order to reflect a particular viewpoint.

   He slanted the news story to discredit the Administration.

3. to write, edit, or publish for the interest or amusement of a specific group of readers.

   a story slanted toward young adults.

noun

1. slanting or oblique direction; slope.

   the slant of a roof.

   Synonyms: pitch, inclination, incline, obliqueness, obliquity

2. a slanting line, surface, etc.

3. virgule.

4. a mental leaning, bias, or distortion.

   His mind shows a curious slant.

5. viewpoint; opinion; attitude.

   Let him give you his slant.

6. Informal.,  a glance or look.

7. Also called angle. Journalism.,  the particular mood or vein in which something is written, edited, or published.

   His column always has a humorous slant.

8. Football.

   1. an offensive play in which the ball-carrier runs toward the line of scrimmage at an angle.

   2. Also called slant-in. a pass pattern in which a receiver cuts diagonally across the middle of the field.

9. Also called slant-eye. Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive.,  a contemptuous term used to refer to a person from East Asia, especially a Chinese or Japanese person.

adjective

1. sloping; oblique.

   a slant roof; a slant approach.

slant

/ slɑːnt /

verb

1. to incline or be inclined at an oblique or sloping angle

2. (tr) to write or present (news, etc) with a bias

3. (of a person's opinions) to be biased

noun

1. an inclined or oblique line or direction; slope

2. a way of looking at something

3. a bias or opinion, as in an article

4. a less technical name for solidus

5. sloping

adjective

1. oblique, sloping

Sensitive Note

See slant-eyed.

Other Word Forms

• slanting adjective
• slantingly adverb
• slantly adverb
• unslanted adjective
• unslanting adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of slant¹

First recorded in 1485–95; aphetic variant of aslant

Word History and Origins

Origin of slant¹

C17: short for _aslant , probably of Scandinavian origin

Synonym Study

See slope.

Example Sentences

“They’ll redact every Republican or conservative person in those files, leave all the liberal, Democratic people in those files,” Schnitt predicted, claiming the would-be report “very slanted.”

From Salon

Critics said the pose resembled the racist "slanted eye" historically used to mock Asians.

From BBC

There is a sense of familiarity in the oak floorboards and the slanted sunlight within Chan’s thoughtfully designed space.

From Los Angeles Times

Despite drawing only two targets in his preseason debut, he made the most of them — hauling in a 28-yard reception and turning a 15-yard slant into a touchdown.

From Los Angeles Times

Two years on, campaigners continue to fight for the return - slant included - of what they dub the "most famous pub in the world".

From BBC

Related Words

• angle 
• leaning 
• point of view 
• predisposition 
• viewpoint 

When To Use

What does slant mean?

To slant is to slope or lean away from a specific line.To slant is also to cause to slope, as in If you slant your house’s roof, rain and snow will slide off.A slant is a line or plane that is not horizontally or vertically straight. Often it is on a diagonal as with /.Figuratively, to slant is to have or be biased, as in My mother was always slanted toward my father’s opinion.To slant is also to distort information to reflect a specific viewpoint and misstate facts. It is often used in reference to journalism, which is expected to be unbiased and objective. Slanted media, for example, would back a particular political movement by covering its victories and downplaying its failures.To slant can also be used to mean to write, edit or publish something for a specific audience. This may be seen as a positive or negative, depending on how something is slanted and the purpose of the material. For example, to slant a news story to young readers would be to simplify the story without distorting it so younger readers could understand it. To slant a novel to a specific audience is to write it to their interests. However, to slant a news story with the intent to distort information would be considered a negative.Example: Cape Cod houses are known for their slanted roofs and shingle siding.