strangeness

noun

strange·​ness ˈstrānj-nəs How to pronounce strangeness (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being strange
2
: the flavor characterizing a strange quark

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web As places across the planet have become more and more alike, writers have embraced Calvino-like strategies of invention to rediscover the strangeness and seduction of setting. Sam Sacks, WSJ, 24 Mar. 2023 The director, who has frequently helmed films and series based on real events, was compelled by the inherent strangeness of the events. Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 22 Mar. 2023 And the striking setting — under the giant tail of Howard Hughes’s Spruce Goose airliner folly — suits the strangeness of the material. Brett Campbell | , oregonlive, 22 Mar. 2023 If many luxury goods are designed to protect the wearer from the scrapes of life, Vanhee-Cybulski’s clothes allow for the strangeness of existence and its unexpectedness, and even welcome it with a sideways laugh. Rachel Tashjian, Harper's BAZAAR, 7 Mar. 2023 Artists intuitively engage—in paint, clay, prints, film—with the strangeness of life. Farah Abdessamad, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2023 To give Ruhl credit, these are unsubtle times, and she’s hit on something with the strangeness of Salem itself. Vulture, 5 Dec. 2022 And their strangeness caught scientists entirely by surprise. Margaret Osborne, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Oct. 2022 Pepper has kept her parentage a secret, but when Ula goes missing, solicitors and journalists come calling, declaring Pepper heir to Ula’s paintings and all their accompanying strangeness. Amal El-mohtar, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strangeness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of strangeness was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near strangeness

Cite this Entry

“Strangeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strangeness. Accessed 31 Mar. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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