How to pronounce oblique
Say it like uh-BLEEK. Oblique has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BLEEK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce oblique. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- BLEEK
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Oblique pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- BLEEKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of oblique
American and British speakers say oblique in essentially the same way: /əˈblik/ in the US and /əˈbliːk/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-BLEEK.
What does oblique mean?
- Not erect or perpendicular; not parallel to, or at right angles from, the base.“Italic fonts are sometimes described as oblique in typographic terminology.”
- Not straightforward; indirect; by implication; (sometimes even) obscure, ambiguous, or confusing.“The email from HR obliquely informed her that some complaints about her had been received.”
- Disingenuous; underhand; morally corrupt.
- An oblique line.
- Synonym of slash ⟨/⟩.
- The oblique case.
- To deviate from a perpendicular line; to become askew.
- To march in a direction oblique to the line of the column or platoon;, formerly accomplished by oblique steps, now by direct steps, the men half-facing either to the right or left.
- To slant (text, etc.) at an angle.
Where does oblique come from?
From Middle French oblique, from Latin oblīquus (also spelled oblīcus) (“slanting, sideways, indirect, envious”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with oblique
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of oblique.
Questions about saying oblique
How do you pronounce oblique?
Say uh-BLEEK. The American pronunciation is /əˈblik/. In British English it is /əˈbliːk/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in oblique?
Oblique has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BLEEK). Broken into parts: uh · BLEEK.
Do Americans and Brits say oblique the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈblik/ and the British form is /əˈbliːk/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.