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Synonym Chooser

How is the word quaint distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of quaint are eccentric, erratic, odd, outlandish, peculiar, singular, strange, and unique. While all these words mean "departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected," quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness.

a quaint fishing village

When is it sensible to use eccentric instead of quaint?

The words eccentric and quaint are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.

the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers

Where would erratic be a reasonable alternative to quaint?

While the synonyms erratic and quaint are close in meaning, erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating.

a friend's suddenly erratic behavior

When might odd be a better fit than quaint?

In some situations, the words odd and quaint are roughly equivalent. However, odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.

an odd sense of humor

When could outlandish be used to replace quaint?

The synonyms outlandish and quaint are sometimes interchangeable, but outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric.

outlandish fashions of the time

In what contexts can peculiar take the place of quaint?

Although the words peculiar and quaint have much in common, peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness.

the peculiar status of America's first lady

When would singular be a good substitute for quaint?

The words singular and quaint can be used in similar contexts, but singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness.

a singular feeling of impending disaster

When is strange a more appropriate choice than quaint?

While in some cases nearly identical to quaint, strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable.

a journey filled with strange sights

When can unique be used instead of quaint?

The meanings of unique and quaint largely overlap; however, unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel.

a career unique in the annals of science

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of quaint Sitting in the living room of his quaint two-story suburban home in Atlanta’s Howell Station neighborhood, Chad Murray is doing his best to speak carefully about the new transmission line Georgia Power is building nearby. Justin Worland, Time, 27 Aug. 2025 The Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their three kids—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—are moving later this year from the quaint four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage in the Windsor Home Park to the stately Forest Lodge within Windsor Great Park, BBC first reported. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2025 The Virginia Civil War Museum and the Shenandoah Caverns are other landmarks nearby in the quiet, quaint area east of the West Virginia line. Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025 The small town has a walkable, quaint village vibe, but is surrounded by some of the most rugged peaks in the East. Graham Averill, Outside Online, 12 Sep. 2023 See All Example Sentences for quaint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quaint
Adjective
  • Take the quiz here … CHAOTIC CALAMITY – Seahawks' celebration turns to disaster as bizarre fumble gives Cardinals new life.
    , FOXNews.com, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Watch On Together, the beads and star arms painted a bizarre, layered portrait of Saturn's skies.
    Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The wrought-iron look gives it that antique feel, and the curved bars add just the right amount of detail.
    Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2025
  • Other products include Windsor chairs handmade in Lewes, East Sussex, England, by a company called Hope Springs; replica wooden Mackintosh stools made in Perthshire, Scotland, and vintage watering cans made from French copper and antique gardening tools restored by Garden & Wood Ltd.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The story becomes less of a character study of the strange ways in which grief manifests and more about the escalating hijinks of a lie that takes on a wild life of its own.
    Lindsey Bahr, Boston Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The options were powerful, immortal, stranger or wanderer.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Think ghost sightings, vintage photos from another era, and a bar that’s stood (literally, until the restaurant moved up the street, the bar was standing-only—no stools) the test of time.
    Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Davis and his husband, Davie, poured their heart into creating a space that was warm, welcoming and teeming with vintage wares.
    Laura Hackett, NPR, 26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • What follows is a dramedy that is simultaneously an anthropological examination of the film industry’s denizens and a disturbing — though often very funny — look at the fragility of identity in that world.
    Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2025
  • My idea of funny is the English say the craziest things with a straight face.
    Devon Ivie, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • At the pop-up, guests tried on Mickey Mouse ear hats, while loafers bearing the character’s silhouette sat alongside faux-fur jackets and retro Ts printed with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Pluto.
    Hanna McNeila, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Fantastic Futurism – The filmmakers discuss the process of immersing the cast and crew in the film’s retro-futuristic aesthetic.
    Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Also, there was the idea that because Regis is 400 and some odd years old, he's got a lot of life experience and accrued a lot of wisdom.
    Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2025
  • What at first appears to be a run-of-the-mill trauma drama about a family dealing with the eldest child’s anorexia nervosa gradually evolves into something odder and more original, even blackly comic, in Ungrateful Beings.
    Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But the solid axles also pair with the steering to produce the most antiquated element of an Ineos—either the SUV or truck.
    Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2025
  • At Dilara Findikoglu, models looked like ladies in waiting that had risen from the dead; wearing antiquated corsetry that was dirtied and torn.
    Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Quaint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quaint. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

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