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Definitions

perpendicular

[pur-puhn-dik-yuh-ler] / ˌpɜr pənˈdɪk yə lər /
ADJECTIVE
meeting at right angles
Synonyms
STRONGEST


ADJECTIVE
straight up and down; standing up
Synonyms
Antonyms
ADJECTIVE
having a sharp pitch or slope
Synonyms
STRONGEST
STRONG


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Strong interactions between the layers lead to very different transmission behaviors for left- and right-circularly polarized light under "normal incidence," or polarized light that hits perpendicular to the surface.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026

Tévoédjrè stood beside an armored vehicle on the perpendicular street, positioned between the oncoming column and Talon’s residence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

“This isn’t just a missing person case,” said Travis Harrison, a producer at NewsNation, which has pulled together a hovel of satellites and folding chairs in the prime real estate perpendicular to Guthrie’s address.

From Slate • Feb. 23, 2026

Another phrase you might hear to describe a bowler is "beyond the perpendicular".

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2025

He did not see Lauren’s Mercedes SUV passing through the intersection, perpendicular to him.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel




Vocabulary lists containing perpendicular