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Definition of uncanny
uncannier
;uncanniest
1a : seeming to have a supernatural character or origin : eerie, mysteriousb : being beyond what is normal or expected : suggesting superhuman or supernatural powers an uncanny sense of direction
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uncanny was our Word of the Day on 10/20/2012. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of uncanny in a Sentence
I was struck by his uncanny ability to communicate arcane, complex economic policy and by his punk-rock instinct to question the status quo. —Bono, Time, 18 Apr. 2005
To an economist, the 1990s bear an uncanny resemblance to two earlier decades: the 1920s in the United States and the 1980s in Japan. In all three decades, technological change produced extraordinary economic growth, leading to talk of a “new era” and triggering a bull market in stocks that terminated in a market collapse—widely regarded as the bursting of a speculative bubble. —Milton Friedman, Wall Street Journal, 22 Jan. 2002
As he approached quite close to the enclosure he saw an excited group surrounding the two fugitives, who, trembling with fright and exhaustion, were scarce able to recount the uncanny details of their adventure. —Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, 1914
She could not teach herself to think favourably of Pansy, whose absence of initiative, of conversation, of personal claims, seemed to her, in a girl of twenty, unnatural and even uncanny. —Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady, 1881
She had an uncanny resemblance to someone I had seen before.
She has an uncanny sense of direction.
an uncanny ability to predict the weather
Recent Examples of uncanny from the Web
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Kelly's uncanny ability to pair poetic lyrics with haunting melodies makes him a diamond in the rough and worth a listen.
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There's something else, too, well known to hunters: an uncanny ability to vanish, or to hide in plain sight like a stealth bomber.
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Stevie Ryan, an actress, mental health advocate, and comedian who came into prominence with her uncanny imitations of celebrities on YouTube, has died.
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Apple's uncanny ability to convince customers to upgrade their devices every year, though waning, may have influenced Sony and Microsoft, too.
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After 17 years at the company, Reid has earned a reputation as a customer oracle with an uncanny ability to predict users' wants and needs, according to those who work for her.
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Some of it has to do with a fresh attitude and an uncanny ability to connect quickly with what matters to others.
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The uncanny valley thing is basically what happens when your models aren’t good enough, but just good enough to sort of pass.
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His freedom came after his attorneys found another man who bore an uncanny resemblance to Jones who his attorneys alleged was the actual perpetrator.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'uncanny'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Weird and eerie are synonyms of uncanny, but there are subtle differences in the meanings of the three words. Weird may be used to describe something that is generally strange or out of the ordinary. Eerie suggests an uneasy or fearful consciousness that some kind of mysterious and malign powers are at work, while uncanny, which debuted in the 18th century, implies disquieting strangeness or mysteriousness. English also has a word canny, but canny and uncanny should not be interpreted as opposites. Canny, which first appeared in English in the 16th century, means "clever," "shrewd" or "prudent," as in "a canny lawyer" or "a canny investment."
First Known Use of uncanny
1773
Synonym Discussion of uncanny
UNCANNY Defined for English Language Learners
uncanny
playDefinition of uncanny for English Language Learners
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: strange or unusual in a way that is surprising or difficult to understand
UNCANNY Defined for Kids
uncanny
playDefinition of uncanny for Students
1 : strange or unusual in a way that is surprising or mysterious an uncanny resemblance
2 : suggesting powers or abilities greater than normal an uncanny sense of direction
uncannily
\-ˈka-nə-lē\ adverb They look uncannily similar.Learn More about uncanny
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See words that rhyme with uncanny Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for uncanny Spanish Central: Translation of uncanny Nglish: Translation of uncanny for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of uncanny for Arabic speakers
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