unusual
adjective
un·usu·al
ˌən-ˈyü-zhə-wəl 
-zhəl;
-ˈyüzh-wəl
: not usual: as
a
: not normal or typical
It's unusual for him to work this late.
b
: different or strange in a way that attracts attention
an unusual design
d
: extraordinary sense 1, remarkable
a scholar of unusual ability
unusually
adverb
unusualness
noun
Examples of unusual in a Sentence
It's not unusual for him to stay late at work.
a scene of unusual beauty
She has an unusual name.
Recent Examples on the Web
Inherently, Liverpool’s pressing approach is fine and not unusual.
—
Liam Tharme, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
But a few thousand feet underground is a hidden source of abundant clean energy — and it was discovered in an unusual way.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025
Tubi Divorced, busy career woman Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara), with a wise-beyond-her-years daughter, Susan (Natalie Wood), hires an unusual man to play Santa Claus at Macy's department store.
—Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025
Trump has been urging Republicans nationwide to redraw their congressional maps in an unusual campaign to help the party maintain its thin majority in the House of Representatives.
—Arkansas Online, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unusual
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Liam Tharme, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
But a few thousand feet underground is a hidden source of abundant clean energy — and it was discovered in an unusual way.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025
Tubi Divorced, busy career woman Doris Walker (Maureen O'Hara), with a wise-beyond-her-years daughter, Susan (Natalie Wood), hires an unusual man to play Santa Claus at Macy's department store.
—Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Dec. 2025
Trump has been urging Republicans nationwide to redraw their congressional maps in an unusual campaign to help the party maintain its thin majority in the House of Representatives.
—Arkansas Online, 12 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unusual
Cite this Entry
“Unusual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unusual. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unusual
adjective
un·usu·al
ˌən-ˈyüzh-(ə-)wəl
-ˈyü-zhəl
unusually
adverb
-ē
unusualness
noun
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