odd

adjective

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\ ˈäd

Definition of odd

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : differing markedly from the usual, ordinary, or accepted : peculiar a very odd way to show gratitude

2a : not regular, expected, or planned worked at odd jobs

b : encountered or experienced from time to time : occasional manages to get in some reading at odd moments

3a : being without a corresponding (see corresponding sense 1) mate an odd shoe

b(1) : left over after others are paired or grouped came without his wife and thus turned out to be the odd guest at the party

(2) : separated from a set or series had in his possession only two or three odd volumes of the original 12-volume set

4a : being any of the integers (such as −3, −1, +1, and +3) that are not divisible by two without leaving a remainder

b : marked by an odd number of units needed two odd-length boards, one of three feet and one of five feet

c : being a function (see function entry 1 sense 5a) such that f (−x) = −f (x) where the sign is reversed but the absolute value remains the same if the sign of the independent variable is reversed

5a : somewhat more than the indicated approximate quantity, extent, or degree —usually used in combination 300-odd pages

b(1) : left over as a remainder had a few odd dollars left after paying his bills

(2) : constituting a small amount had some odd change in her pocket

6 : having an out-of-the-way location : remote found it in some odd corner of the house

odd

interjection

variant spelling of od

archaic

—used as a mild oath

ODD

abbreviation

Definition of ODD (Entry 3 of 3)

oppositional defiant disorder

Other Words from odd Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About odd

Synonyms & Antonyms for odd

Synonyms: Adjective

unmatched,
unpaired

Antonyms: Adjective

matched,
paired

Choose the Right Synonym for odd

Adjective

strange, singular, unique, peculiar, eccentric, erratic, odd, quaint, outlandish mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected. strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable. a journey filled with strange sights singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness. a singular feeling of impending disaster unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel. a career unique in the annals of science peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness. the peculiar status of America's First Lady eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior. the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating. a friend's suddenly erratic behavior odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected. an odd sense of humor quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness. a quaint fishing village outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric. outlandish fashions of the time

Examples of odd in a Sentence

Adjective She had an odd look on her face. People would call at odd hours during the night. She's got a really odd sense of humor. Some rather odd people used to live in this house. There was something odd about his story. It's odd that nobody told me about this before. That's odd. He was here a minute ago. That is one of the oddest creatures I have ever seen. She kept a stack of magazines that she would read at odd moments. During the summer, he would do odd jobs for his neighbors to earn extra money.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective The timing was odd, with the pandemic still uprooting every part of her life. — New York Times, 6 Jan. 2022 By the end of the franchise, Harry and Ginny Weasley become a core couple, something Radcliffe admits was odd at first. — Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Jan. 2022 So the focus on anti-vaccination accounts on vaccines rather than a broader array of medications and supplements is odd. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2021 In the light of the current surge of new applications, the rationale for winding down reporting requirements is odd. — Michael Taylor, San Antonio Express-News, 22 Dec. 2021 Which is odd because the previous movie in the series, The Matrix Revolutions, ends with the hero Neo dying like Christ for the sins of both man and machine and bringing an end to the war between them. — Ryu Spaeth, The New Republic, 22 Dec. 2021 In those days Joe was a little odd, but there were no obvious signs then of the mental illness that would later turn him harsh and even angry toward those who tried most to help him. — William Mcgurn, WSJ, 20 Dec. 2021 Used to be the odds are good, but the goods are odd. — Wayne And Wanda, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Dec. 2021 Miss Manners grants that their behavior is odd, and even inconsiderate, but not asking you to commingle food is a better problem to have than commingling food without asking. — Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'odd.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.