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
Expect unusual dishes like savory black and white cookies and celery root with black truffle right alongside classics like Lobster Newburg.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2026
Beekeeping Frisco businessman Nate Sheets had a comfortable lead over three-term Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a heated Republican primary Tuesday after roughly half the votes were tallied, a stinging initial victory in a race roiled by an unusual split at the top of the GOP.
—Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
Investigators then took the highly unusual step of releasing their own footage just hours after the shooting in hopes of clearing up the concerns raised online.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
Palmeri’s dad, Tony, loved cars from the 1930s, and dual spares weren’t unusual to see on the sides of cars in that era.
—Eric D. Lawrence, Freep.com, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unusual
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2026
Beekeeping Frisco businessman Nate Sheets had a comfortable lead over three-term Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a heated Republican primary Tuesday after roughly half the votes were tallied, a stinging initial victory in a race roiled by an unusual split at the top of the GOP.
—Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 3 Mar. 2026
Investigators then took the highly unusual step of releasing their own footage just hours after the shooting in hopes of clearing up the concerns raised online.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2026
Palmeri’s dad, Tony, loved cars from the 1930s, and dual spares weren’t unusual to see on the sides of cars in that era.
—Eric D. Lawrence, Freep.com, 3 Mar. 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 10 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unusual
adjective
un·usu·al
ˌən-ˈyüzh-(ə-)wəl
-ˈyü-zhəl
unusually
adverb
-ē
unusualness
noun
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