Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
📐 Not straight ❌ Wrongly
agley

agley

9.9
In a way that is wrong or does not go as planned
  • adverb
  • /əˈɡleɪ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : torcidamente
  • Best-laid plans may go agley, but how bad that is depends on who you ask...

Examples

  • His scheme for a surprise party went agley when she found out.

  • Despite the careful preparation, everything went agley when the storm hit.

  • Plans to go hiking this weekend went agley after the heavy rain forecast.

Synonyms

awry
vsagley
39 6.8

Not happening as planned and causing trouble

is wrong in manner even if not visibly disordered
amiss
vsagley
3 6.8

In a wrong way when something does not happen as it should

focuses on being unplanned or unexpected rather than improper

Antonyms

correctly
451 1.0

In the right way without making mistakes

How Awry

agley
  • Archaic
9.9
amiss
3 6.8
askew
13 6.0
properly
686 1.0

Surface Forms

agley positive

Etymology

Agley comes from Scots and was used in expressions like a-gley to mean 'to the side' or 'off the path'. So when things go agley they go wrong or happen in a way that is not as planned.