uncharacteristic

adjective

un·​char·​ac·​ter·​is·​tic ˌən-ˌker-ik-tə-ˈri-stik 

-ˌka-rik-

: not characteristic : not typical or distinctive

uncharacteristic outbursts of temper

uncharacteristically

ˌən-ˌker-ik-tə-ˈri-sti-k(ə-)lē 

-ˌka-rik-

adverb

Examples of uncharacteristic in a Sentence

It was an uncharacteristic outburst of temper.

Her uncharacteristic silence bothered me.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the Dallas Cowboys’ 28-20 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday night, wide receiver George Pickens had an uncharacteristic two drops in the first half that each could have resulted in big gains for the offense. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Sep. 2026

The Chargers lost as the biggest betting favorites of the week while overs went an uncharacteristic 9-4 on the first Sunday of the season. — Austin Mock, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

The tree fell as Sunday saw uncharacteristic rainfall across Southern California due to the offshore Hurricane Marie, which also created strong surf that battered the coastline. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 7 Sep. 2026

The results — or lack of results — from this uncharacteristic period of stability may ultimately define Meloni’s legacy and her odds of winning another term. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1748, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for uncharacteristic

• deuteronomistic
• imperialistic
• intuitionistic
• materialistic
• nondeterministic
• nonrelativistic
• oligopolistic
• particularistic
• sociolinguistic
• spiritualistic
• universalistic
• agonistic