1
as in ornamental
a small object displayed for its attractiveness or interest
be careful of the fragile curios on the end tables
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in rarity
something strange or unusual that is an object of interest
a museum's collection of curios brought back from the Far East by 19th-century traders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of curio
Lots of other pre-war features to like, such as the archways and the inset curio-cabinet.
—
Katie McDonough,
Curbed,
4 May 2026
The song is a dynamic curio and begs the question of what could have been if Ifans hadn’t left the band.
—
David Harris,
SPIN,
4 May 2026
Henry’s record-setting 20 assists are a unique curio.
—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Conscription and extensive civil defense shelters, now historical curios in much of the West, remain bedrock elements of Finnish defense.
—
Liam Denning,
Bloomberg,
12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for curio
Katie McDonough,
Curbed,
4 May 2026
The song is a dynamic curio and begs the question of what could have been if Ifans hadn’t left the band.
—
David Harris,
SPIN,
4 May 2026
Henry’s record-setting 20 assists are a unique curio.
—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Conscription and extensive civil defense shelters, now historical curios in much of the West, remain bedrock elements of Finnish defense.
—
Liam Denning,
Bloomberg,
12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for curio
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curio
Noun
-
The plant was a Japanese yew, an ornamental that is toxic and deadly to horses, according to the report.
-
Many of the plants on this list can be interplanted with ornamentals in garden beds and around your patio or deck.
Noun
-
In reflecting on her role as the first woman to lead TIAA in its over 100-year history, Duckett highlighted the rarity of her position as one of only four Black female CEOs in the history of the Fortune 500.
-
But those shoppers are less motivated by logos and more interested in craftsmanship, rarity and personal connection.
Noun
-
The differing nacho offerings come served in a souvenir FIFA soccer ball bowl.
-
There's also $5 Michelob Ultra drafts or $8 Casamigos margarita served in limited-edition World Cup souvenir cups.
Noun
-
Other exotics in his collection are a rare 1971 Ferrari Daytona and a DeLorean.
-
At least the pedals aren’t awkwardly offset, unlike many Italian exotics of this era.
Noun
-
This list features leaders who navigate AI no longer as a novelty, but as an enterprise reality.
-
More than just a glorified search engine or a generator of video clips and novelty images, AI could fill roads with driverless trucks, create factories staffed by robots and supplant office workers, lawyers and doctors.
Noun
-
But so can characters pushing the knickknack/plaything boundary, like porcelain figurines and piggy banks.
-
A lot of those people have Victoria Baumann and Charlie Moreton to thank, the father-daughter duo behind Victoria Essie Studio that produces fidget toys and other knickknacks out of their homes in North Carolina.
Cite this Entry
“Curio.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curio. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
