eerie

adjective

ee·​rie ˈir-ē How to pronounce eerie (audio)
variants or less commonly eery
eerier; eeriest
1
: so mysterious, strange, or unexpected as to send a chill up the spine
a coyote's eerie howl
the similarities were eerie
also : seemingly not of earthly origin
the flames cast an eerie glow
2
chiefly Scotland : affected with fright : scared
eeriness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for eerie

weird, eerie, uncanny mean mysteriously strange or fantastic.

weird may imply an unearthly or supernatural strangeness or it may stress peculiarity or oddness.

weird creatures from another world

eerie suggests an uneasy or fearful consciousness that mysterious and malign powers are at work.

an eerie calm preceded the bombing raid

uncanny implies disquieting strangeness or mysteriousness.

an uncanny resemblance between total strangers

Examples of eerie in a Sentence

The flames cast an eerie glow. a land of eerie beauty
Recent Examples on the Web Its hallways have been filled with strange musical melodies and other eerie sounds. Janet Loehrke, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024 Rather than relying on constant scares or action, the film uses atmospheric horror, drawing on the eerie mood of the village and the surrounding countryside. Travis Bean, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024 The line between the human world and the spirit one is very thin in Kaneto Shindo's atmospheric ghost story, which stands out thanks to its eerie blend of savage violence, domestic melodrama, and haunting romance. Katie Rife, EW.com, 25 Oct. 2024 While the hotel has been renovated, the decor is still distinctly vintage and lends to an eerie energy. Julie Jordan, People.com, 24 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for eerie 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eerie.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English (northern dialect) eri

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of eerie was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near eerie

-eer

eerie

eerily

Cite this Entry

“Eerie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eerie. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

eerie

adjective
ee·​rie
variants also eery
eerier; eeriest
: causing fear or uneasiness because of strangeness or gloominess
an eerie shadow
eerily adverb
eeriness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on eerie

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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