quirky

adjective

ˈkwər-kē 

quirkier; quirkiest

: having many quirks : unusual in especially an interesting or appealing way

a quirky sense of humor

quirky ideas/behavior

a quirky and creative artist

… the SoHo store known for its modern, often quirky home accessories …

—Marianne Rohrlich

The result is an extraordinarily fine film, a quieter, more centered vision of Garp's world that loses little of the quirky humor of the original …

—Molly Haskell

quirkily

ˈkwər-kə-lē 

adverb

His political ideas, which had seemed quirkily brilliant in the 1900's …

—Wilfrid Sheed

… he is gregarious and energetic and … enjoys a quirkily methodical, omnivorous turn of mind …

—Cullen Murphy

quirkiness

ˈkwər-kē-nəs 

noun

… is gaining international prominence in interior-design circles simply because its content diverges with typically English quirkiness, from that of its competitors.

—John Duka

Synonyms of quirky

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

Examples of quirky in a Sentence

the waitress styles her hair in a quirky way that always gets her remembered by customers

Recent Examples on the Web

The restaurant is housed in a former ironmongery in Le Cinque Vie, a delightful district that lies southwest of the Duomo, where quirky stores and family-run restaurants sit snugly beside art galleries. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Sep. 2026

She’s also been known to favor the brand’s Puddle silhouette, another quirky style with a chunky construction. — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 20 Sep. 2026

The actress was not looking to become the quirky best friend character, a trope that director Claire Scanlon and writers Sarah Rothschild and Hazelwood were not interested in rehashing. — Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026

This town of about 1,200 residents comes alive in autumn with quirky traditions, breathtaking foliage, and family-friendly activities that showcase the best of the season. — Abby Price, Travel + Leisure, 19 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quirky

• jerky
• murky
• perky
• turki