ABNORMAL Synonyms: 96 Similar and Opposite Words

abnormal

adjective

(ˌ)ab-ˈnȯr-məl

Definition of abnormal

as in unusual

being out of the ordinary a completely abnormal school day, because half of the kids were out sick

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unnatural

departing from some accepted standard of what is normal noticed his abnormal breathing and took him to the emergency room

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 abnormal The Consequences Children who have never seen clearly do not know their experience is abnormal. — MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Nov. 2026 However, France's Health Ministry says staff noticed the abnormal temperature changes and reacted in time to prevent any loss of service. — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 4 Nov. 2026 Both amyloid beta and tau are normally present in healthy brains; the plaques and tangles are abnormal aggregations of these molecules. — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026 This makes abnormal rhythms more likely in someone already prone to them. — Amanda Erickson, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for abnormal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abnormal

Adjective

The outbreak was first detected in Mongbwalu, a gold-mining town of around 130,000 people in Ituri province in northeastern Congo, after the WHO was alerted on May 5 about an unusual cluster of illness and deaths.

— Anthony W. Gambino, Time, 13 Nov. 2026
Rather than simply hiring more YouTubers or adapting unusual internet properties, is the real lesson to take chances on newer, original voices, regardless of platform or genre?

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of unusual

Adjective

Some movements feel unnatural, facial expressions are exaggerated, and small details occasionally fall into the uncanny valley or break rules of logical consistency.

— Britta Miller, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
But closer examination reveals that OpenAI’s proof builds its unnatural force in a totally distinct way.

— Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of unnatural

Adjective

And that's really all down to finding actors who in this extraordinary ensemble have a really terrific sense of humor.

— Kara Warner, Vanity Fair, 14 Nov. 2026
The award recognizes her extraordinary contributions to advancing civil rights, civil liberties and social justice through storytelling.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of extraordinary

Adjective

Look for irregular costs like insurance premiums, car repairs, medical expenses, annual subscription or membership fees, summer or spring break trips, back-to-school supplies, home maintenance or holiday gift shopping.

— Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
Her team found a 77% higher rate of irregular heartbeats during the six weeks around the 2016 election, compared with a control period.

— Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of irregular

Adjective

While Shelby was clearly an exceptional candidate, his success was largely predicated on your failures.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026
Why the semiconductor industry is interested in diamond One of diamond’s most attractive properties is its exceptional thermal conductivity.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of exceptional

Adjective

Aleksandra Karapetrova, an alpine enthusiast and environmental scientist at the University of California, Riverside, used her unique skill set to find that microplastics are present in remote Sierra Nevada mountain snow reachable only on skis.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026
Air ambulance services, though, come with unique challenges, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.

— Elaine Appleton-Grant, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of unique

Adjective

Narcissists, not uncommon in pop circles, have no such hangups.

— Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Nov. 2026
But the Jets’ other three opponents (Tennessee, Cleveland and Arizona) have a 9-17 record, compared with 15-10 for the Dolphins’ uncommon opponents (Cincinnati, San Francisco, Indianapolis).

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2026