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
After some pre-interview banter, Taccone says something that is kind of unusual about a movie featuring a couple that literally wants to kill each other.
—
Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
The zebra mascot originated in 1927 under unusual circumstances.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
New observations of Uranus's enigmatic outer rings have shown them to be even more mysterious than astronomers had thought, and their unusual properties hint at some puzzling things going on with the planet's system of moons.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2026
The close partnership between researchers, farmers and potato chip companies is unusual in the food industry, said Phil Gusmano, the vice president of purchasing at Better Made Snack Foods, which has produced potato chips in Detroit since 1930.
—CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unusual
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Mike Ryan, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
The zebra mascot originated in 1927 under unusual circumstances.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
New observations of Uranus's enigmatic outer rings have shown them to be even more mysterious than astronomers had thought, and their unusual properties hint at some puzzling things going on with the planet's system of moons.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2026
The close partnership between researchers, farmers and potato chip companies is unusual in the food industry, said Phil Gusmano, the vice president of purchasing at Better Made Snack Foods, which has produced potato chips in Detroit since 1930.
—CBS News, 22 Apr. 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 28 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unusual
adjective
un·usu·al
ˌən-ˈyüzh-(ə-)wəl
-ˈyü-zhəl
unusually
adverb
-ē
unusualness
noun
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