awry

/əˈraɪ/
adverb
  1. In a way that is not straight or correct; with a twist or deviation.
    • He placed the books awry on the shelf, so they looked messy.
    • The arrow went awry and missed the target completely.
    • The kite flew awry and got tangled in the tree branches.
  2. In a manner that goes against what was intended or expected.
    • The negotiations went awry when neither side would compromise.
    • Her careful plans turned awry after the sudden storm.
    • The joke came out awry and offended some people in the audience.
adjective
  1. Not in the expected or correct position; crooked or askew.
    • Her hat was slightly awry after the windy walk.
    • The picture frame hung awry on the wall, tilted to one side.
    • He noticed his tie was awry and straightened it before the meeting.
  2. Not going according to plan; wrong or amiss.
    • She sensed something was awry when the door was unlocked.
    • Our vacation plans went awry when the flight was canceled.
    • The experiment went awry because of a simple calculation error.
What does "awry" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean