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skew

verb

/skjuː/

IPA:

Dictionary definition of skew

To make something biased or distorted in a way that is regarded as inaccurate, unfair, or misleading.
"The news outlet was accused of attempting to skew the facts to fit their narrative."

Detailed meaning of skew

This use of the term is often applied to data or information, where a skewed representation can be used to manipulate or misrepresent the facts for personal or political gain. For example, news media outlets may skew a story to promote a particular agenda, while a company might skew its financial reports to make its profits appear higher than they actually are. Skewing can also occur unintentionally, as a result of flaws in the data collection or analysis process. Overall, the verb "skew" conveys the idea of something being intentionally or unintentionally biased or distorted, leading to an inaccurate or misleading representation of the facts.

Example sentences containing skew

1. The artist used bold strokes to skew the perspective in the painting.
2. His biased comments were intended to skew the public's perception of the issue.
3. The photographer deliberately angled the camera to skew the composition.
4. The survey results were manipulated to skew the outcome in favor of a specific agenda.
5. The writer's clever use of sarcasm was meant to skew the reader's understanding of the situation.
6. The politician tried to skew the statistics to support his claims.

History and etymology of skew

The verb 'skew' has its etymological origins in the Old North French word 'eskiuer,' which means 'to slip away' or 'to avoid.' This Old North French term is closely related to the Old French 'eskiuer' and 'skiuer,' which both share the sense of avoidance or turning aside. In Middle English, it evolved into 'skewen,' with the meaning of to go aside or to deviate from a straight path. Over time, this deviation evolved into a metaphorical sense, where 'skew' came to describe making something biased or distorted, often in a way that is regarded as inaccurate, unfair, or misleading. So, the etymology of 'skew' reflects its journey from a physical act of turning aside to a figurative sense of distorting or biasing information or perceptions.

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Further usage examples of skew

1. The company's advertising campaign was designed to skew the target audience's perception of their product.
2. The controversial article attempted to skew public opinion by presenting a one-sided view.
3. The researcher's personal biases began to skew the outcome of the experiment.
4. The critic's negative review seemed to skew the public's opinion of the movie.
5. The interviewer's leading questions were intended to skew the respondent's answers.
6. The writer used humor to skew the reader's interpretation of the story's events.
7. The consultant's recommendations were meant to skew the company's decision-making process.
8. The advertising campaign strategically targeted specific demographics to skew sales.
9. The editor's selective omission of key information aimed to skew the reader's perception.
10. The journalist's sensationalized headline was designed to skew readership and generate controversy.
11. The biased report attempted to skew the public's perception of the candidate.
12. The critic's personal vendetta against the artist caused them to skew their review.
13. The influencer's endorsement was suspected to skew public opinion due to undisclosed financial incentives.
14. The media's coverage seemed to skew the facts in favor of one political party.
15. Biased reporting can skew public perception of important issues.
16. Prejudices can skew our judgment and harm relationships.
17. Misleading statistics can skew the interpretation of research findings.
18. The selection process must be fair and not skew towards any group.
19. Some argue that the educational system can skew opportunities.
20. Her personal biases sometimes skew her decision-making.
21. Economic inequality can skew access to essential resources.
22. Let's ensure our data collection methods don't skew the results.
23. Biased algorithms can skew the recommendations we receive online.
24. It's important to present information objectively and not skew the truth.