unusual

adjective

un·​usu·​al ˌən-ˈyü-zhə-wəl How to pronounce unusual (audio)
-zhəl;
-ˈyüzh-wəl
: not usual : uncommon, rare
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 Now, what Urman has done isn’t that unusual in the modern IP Is Everything television landscape. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2024 Leander came up with her lead guitar riff, and the song was written in probably five hours, which is kind of unusual to have happen. Steve Baltin, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 How did the pandemic affect the economy? The Fed, and the economy, are in a good spot because of the unusual dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic, Schulze from ClearBridge said. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 23 Sep. 2024 This is unusual for a Saturday, according to Jeff Bruce of Baby Boomer Rebellion, a new vendor at the show and frequent Eastgate shopper. Allison Kiehl, The Enquirer, 22 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unusual 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unusual.' 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

1579, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unusual was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near unusual

Cite this Entry

“Unusual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unusual. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

unusual

adjective
un·​usu·​al ˌən-ˈyüzh-(ə-)wəl How to pronounce unusual (audio)
-ˈyü-zhəl
: not usual : uncommon, rare
unusually
adverb
unusualness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unusual

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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