# skewed

/ˈskjud/ (US) · /skjˈuːd/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/skewed
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

not straight or balanced. You use this to describe information or results that are not fair or accurate because they lean too much in one direction.

For teachers: distorted or biased in a way that makes data or a perspective inaccurate. Often used to describe statistical distributions that are not symmetrical.

## Examples

- The survey results are skewed because only young people answered.
- The study's findings were skewed by the fact that all participants were recruited from a single private hospital.
- Economists argued that the national average income was heavily skewed by a small number of billionaires, masking the financial reality of the working class.

## Usage notes

- Commonly used as a participial adjective; often follows linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'become'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.