unusual
adjective
un·usu·al
ˌən-ˈyü-zhə-wəl 
-zhəl;
-ˈyüzh-wəl
: not usual: as
a
: not normal or typical
It's unusual for him to work this late.
b
: different or strange in a way that attracts attention
an unusual design
d
: extraordinary sense 1, remarkable
a scholar of unusual ability
unusually
adverb
unusualness
noun
Examples of unusual in a Sentence
It's not unusual for him to stay late at work.
a scene of unusual beauty
She has an unusual name.
Recent Examples on the Web
This fall, an unusual one presented itself with a generous subsidy, making this trip particularly appealing to both students and faculty.
—
Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Bass, who is running in the June 2 election for a second term, took the unusual step of delivering two State of the City speeches within a three-month span.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
The unusual statement came in the wake of reports that there could be trouble brewing between OpenAI, another Port Washington facility partner, and chipmaker Nvidia, which has planned a huge investment in OpenAI.
—Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Flares of this magnitude in and around solar maximum are generally not common, though not unusual.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unusual
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Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026
Bass, who is running in the June 2 election for a second term, took the unusual step of delivering two State of the City speeches within a three-month span.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
The unusual statement came in the wake of reports that there could be trouble brewing between OpenAI, another Port Washington facility partner, and chipmaker Nvidia, which has planned a huge investment in OpenAI.
—Ricardo Torres, jsonline.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Flares of this magnitude in and around solar maximum are generally not common, though not unusual.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unusual
Cite this Entry
“Unusual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unusual. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unusual
adjective
un·usu·al
ˌən-ˈyüzh-(ə-)wəl
-ˈyü-zhəl
unusually
adverb
-ē
unusualness
noun
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