skewed
C1Formal to neutral; common in academic, business, and statistical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
not straight, symmetrical, or balanced; distorted, biased, or angled away from a proper line or position.
Used to describe data, perspectives, results, or distributions that are not accurate or representative due to bias, distortion, or external factors; also describes something positioned at an angle.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an adjective derived from the verb 'skew'. Emphasises distortion from a norm or expected state. Can describe both physical angles (literal) and abstract bias (figurative).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. British English may slightly favour 'skew-whiff' for the physical sense. American English uses 'skewed' more frequently in business/data contexts.
Connotations
Negative when referring to bias/distortion; neutral when describing a geometric angle.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties, with high frequency in academic/professional registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be] skewed towards/against/in favour of [noun phrase][be] skewed by [noun phrase][be] skewed to the left/rightVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a skewed perspective”
- “skewed in favour of”
- “the balance is skewed”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to market data, survey results, or performance metrics that are not representative.
Academic
Describes statistical distributions, research sample bias, or theoretical arguments.
Everyday
Used for opinions, pictures hanging crookedly, or unfair situations.
Technical
In statistics, a 'skewed distribution' where data points cluster at one end.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The flawed methodology skewed the results of the study.
- He accused the media of skewing the facts.
American English
- The new algorithm skewed the data toward younger users.
- Outliers can really skew your average.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The photo looked funny because it was skewed to one side.
- His opinion is skewed because he works for the company.
- The survey's findings are skewed towards older respondents.
- A skewed distribution in statistics means the data is not symmetrical.
- The journalist argued that the editorial policy was systematically skewed in favour of the incumbent.
- The researcher corrected for the heavily skewed sample to ensure the model's validity.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a SKEWER pushed through meat at an angle – it's not straight, it's SKEWED.
Conceptual Metaphor
STRAIGHTNESS IS TRUTH/FAIRNESS; ANGLES/CROOKEDNESS ARE BIAS/DISTORTION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation as 'кривой' for abstract bias; better: 'искажённый', 'предвзятый'. For data, use 'смещённый'. 'Перекошенный' is more physical.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'skewed' as a main verb in simple present (e.g., 'He skews the data' is correct; 'The data skews' is less common). Confusing with 'askew'. Overusing for mild, unimportant bias.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'skewed' used MOST appropriately?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. In geometry, it's neutral (a skewed line). But in contexts of data, opinion, or fairness, it implies an undesirable distortion or bias.
'Biased' directly refers to prejudice. 'Skewed' is broader: it describes the *result* of bias or any other distorting force, creating an angled or unbalanced outcome.
Yes. The base verb is 'skew' (e.g., 'The question skews the results'). 'Skewed' is its past tense/participle and its common adjectival form.
It rhymes with 'feud' or 'chewed'. The IPA is /skjuːd/. The 'ew' is a long 'u' sound, not 'oo' as in 'skoo-d'.
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