horizontal

horizontal — adjective

1. extending across a surface or space while keeping a fixed distance from the grou

1.形容詞B1
釋義

extending across a surface or space while keeping a fixed distance from the ground, so that it does not slope upward or downward

例句

Minho adjusted the picture frame until it was perfectly horizontal.

perfectly horizontal — adverb intensifier

A horizontal stripe across the wall can make a narrow room look wider.

同義詞
  • level

    Emphasises evenness at the same height; a table can be level without being horizontal if it is tilted

  • flat

    Focuses on the absence of bumps or curves; a wall can be flat but vertical

  • straight

    Describes a line without bends; a straight line can go in any direction

反義詞
  • vertical

    Running straight up and down, perpendicular to the ground

  • upright

    Standing or positioned vertically

文法句型

be + horizontal

keep/stay/remain + horizontal

perfectly horizontal

用法筆記

Can be modified by adverbs like perfectly, roughly, nearly, or approximately. The opposite vertical is used to draw a contrast between the two orientations.

常見錯誤

❌She hung the picture horizontal on the wall.
✅She hung the picture horizontally on the wall.
💡Use the adverb horizontally when describing how an action is performed; use horizontal when describing the resulting position.
❌The line is very horizontal.
✅The line is perfectly horizontal.
💡Horizontal is usually modified by perfectly or nearly, not by very.

2. describing an organisation, system, or relationship in which all members have eq

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing an organisation, system, or relationship in which all members have equal status and decisions are shared rather than passed down through a chain of command

例句

The company replaced its top-down hierarchy with a horizontal management structure.

horizontal management structure — business collocation

In a horizontal organisation, even junior staff can share their ideas with senior leaders directly.

同義詞
  • flat

    More informal than horizontal; a flat organisation has few or no management layers

  • lateral

    Emphasises sideways movement or communication rather than top-down direction

反義詞
  • vertical

    Describes a traditional top-down structure with clear chains of command

  • hierarchical

    Organised in ranked layers where higher levels have authority over lower ones

文法句型

horizontal + [noun: management/structure/organisation]

用法筆記

Frequently contrasted with vertical or hierarchical when describing organisational change. Common in business writing and management discussions. The noun organisation is often spelled with a z in American English and an s in British English, but the meaning is the same.

常見錯誤

❌The company has a horizontal with many employees.
✅The company has a horizontal management structure.
💡Horizontal is an adjective and needs a noun like structure, organisation, or hierarchy.
❌A horizontal company has no rules.
✅A horizontal company distributes decision-making power rather than concentrating it.
💡Emphasise shared authority, not the absence of rules.

horizontal — noun