eerie

adjective

ee·​rie ˈir-ē 

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

ˈir-ē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• creepy
• weird
• haunting

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

Get ready to spook friends and family with these eerie pumpkins. —Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025

Minimalistic yet vibrant, the now-iconic prismatic spectrum image and contrasting black background designed by Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis is eye-catching and eerie. —Lina Lecaro, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2025

Visitors can even join a paranormal investigation of the eerie artifact. —Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 6 Oct. 2025

Spooky season is officially in full swing and Nashville's nightlife scene is getting a haunted makeover with Halloween pop-up bars transforming familiar haunts into eerie, immersive experiences. —Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 2 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English (northern dialect) eri

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for eerie

• beery
• bleary
• cheery
• cirri
• dearie
• deary
• dreary
• kiri
• leary
• leery
• peery
• query

Kids Definition

eerie

adjective

ee·​rie

variants also eery

ˈi(ə)r-ē 

eerier; eeriest

: causing fear or uneasiness because of strangeness or gloominess

an eerie shadow

eerily

ˈir-ə-lē 

adverb

eeriness

ˈir-ē-nəs 

noun