outlandish

adjective

out·​land·​ish ˌau̇t-ˈlan-dish How to pronounce outlandish (audio)
1
: of or relating to another country : foreign
saw many outlandish animals at the zoo
2
a
: strikingly out of the ordinary : bizarre
an outlandish costume
Her book is filled with outlandish characters.
spun some outlandish tales
b
: exceeding proper or reasonable limits or standards
workers complain of outlandish hoursJoan E. Rigdon
outlandish government specifications
3
: remote from civilization
no other young men foolish enough to offer to go to such an outlandish stationGeog. Jour.
outlandishly adverb
outlandishness noun

Did you know?

For some, the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side of the fence—it may also be very, very strange. The side-eye that skeptical sorts cast toward visitors from parts yonder is embedded in the history of the ancient word outlandish. In Old English someone described as “outlandish” came from an outland, i.e., a foreign land. Within a few hundred years, outlandish had broadened in use to describe anything unfamiliar or strange. It’s now commonly applied to things—especially things people do, wear, or say—that are strikingly out of the ordinary, or even just too-too—that is, too far beyond reasonable or proper limits or standards. But lest you mistake us for equating outlandish with wrong or bad, heed the words of Tony Stark (as played by Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man) when addressing speculation that he is secretly a superhero: “That would be outlandish… and fantastic.”

Choose the Right Synonym for outlandish

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 outlandish in a Sentence

She fills her books with outlandish characters. The actress wore an outlandish dress to the awards ceremony.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Steve Kessel, director of marine research at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, applauds the educational possibilities of Shark Week, even when the outlandish outweighs the science. Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 6 July 2025 John Cena and Idris Elba Cena keep us engaged as squabbling global dignitaries/odd couple who get marked for death due to an outlandish political usurping scheme. Randy Myers, Mercury News, 4 July 2025 A little pocket bar of six tables and four bar seats, Malpractice balances its minimalist aesthetic with outlandish, maximalist glassware, and cocktails that are unapologetically playful. Jordan Michelman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 July 2025 Then, in 2019, came the second observed interstellar object, 2I/Borisov, which bore all the hallmarks of a run-of-the-mill comet and thus inspired few, if any, outlandish claims of alien involvement. Nora Bradford, Scientific American, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for outlandish

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of outlandish was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Outlandish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outlandish. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

outlandish

adjective
out·​land·​ish (ˈ)au̇t-ˈlan-dish How to pronounce outlandish (audio)
: of strange appearance or manner : bizarre
an outlandish costume
outlandishly adverb
outlandishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on outlandish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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