out of the way

1 of 2

phrase

1

: wrong, improper

didn't know I'd said anything out of the way

2

a

: in or to a secluded place

b

: unusual, remarkable

there's nothing out of the way about the plan

3

: done, completed

got his homework out of the way

out-of-the-way

2 of 2

adjective

ˌau̇t-ə(v)-t͟hə-ˈwā 

1

: unusual

out-of-the-way information

2

: being off the beaten track

an out-of-the-way restaurant

Synonyms of out of the way

Adjective

• bizarre
• strange
• weird
• odd
• funny
• peculiar
• curious
• erratic
• eccentric
• remarkable
• unusual
• crazy
• quaint

Examples of out of the way in a Sentence

Adjective

the night watchman calls the police if he notices any out-of-the-way activity taking place during his shift

there was nothing out-of-the-way about the hitchhiker's appearance that might arouse suspicion

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Jobs insisted on pricey real estate in malls and city centers rather than the cheap, out-of-the-way spots where computer retailers tended to congregate. —Noam Scheiber, Wired News, 7 Apr. 2026

But some of the most fascinating stuff was in out-of-the-way places. —Beverly Gage, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026

Maybe there is room to squeeze in a compost bin or a small beehive in an out-of-the-way place to get more use out of your garden. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2026

Besides the occasional random spider that scuttles indoors, some spiders can live in out-of-the-way spots in your home, such as along ceilings or in basements and behind clutter. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1704, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for out of the way

• andromache
• bioassay
• cabriolet
• cercariae
• communique
• companionway
• compositae
• decussate
• examinee
• fabaceae
• glyphosate
• microarray

Kids Definition

out-of-the-way

adjective

ˌau̇t-ə(v)-t͟hə-ˈwā

1

: being off the usual paths

an out-of-the-way village

2

: not commonly found or met : unusual

the store specializes in out-of-the-way books