1
as in ornamental
a small object displayed for its attractiveness or interest
be careful of the fragile curios on the end tables
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in rarity
something strange or unusual that is an object of interest
a museum's collection of curios brought back from the Far East by 19th-century traders
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of curio
The former became a cult curio; the latter remained unreleased until 2002.
—
Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2025
Juliet Arch Cabinet The Juliet Arch Cabinet from the Better Homes & Gardens collection at Walmart is one of the most aesthetic and functional curio cabinets available.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Jan. 2025
This profile starts as a curio, but very quickly becomes fascinating.
—Longreads, 19 Dec. 2024
Black Emperor—and Freedom, the record that crystallized McMahon’s songwriting and elevated Amen Dunes beyond its origins as a reliquary of underground curios.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for curio
Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 7 Jan. 2025
Juliet Arch Cabinet The Juliet Arch Cabinet from the Better Homes & Gardens collection at Walmart is one of the most aesthetic and functional curio cabinets available.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Jan. 2025
This profile starts as a curio, but very quickly becomes fascinating.
—Longreads, 19 Dec. 2024
Black Emperor—and Freedom, the record that crystallized McMahon’s songwriting and elevated Amen Dunes beyond its origins as a reliquary of underground curios.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 10 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for curio
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curio
Noun
-
Many deciduous ornamentals including redbuds, forsythia, crabapples, fruit trees, quince azaleas and many others were not adversely affected by last summer’s drought and the cold, windy winter and frozen soils that followed.—
Pamm Cooper,
Hartford Courant,
10 May 2025
-
Companion plants for ornamentals such as hydrangeas are selected for aesthetic purposes.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
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That's a rarity for the company, which is known for its pioneering rocket reuse.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
21 May 2025
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The head coach, general manager and quarterback are all back, which has been a rarity around Bank of America Stadium during David Tepper’s seven-year tenure as owner.—
Joseph Person,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Looking for some spooky souvenirs to bring back home?—
Samantha Neely,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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Major DJs and music artists perform onboard, and guests can visit Squid Ink, the world’s first at-sea tattoo parlor, for a truly unique souvenir.—
Martie Bowser,
Essence,
22 May 2025
Noun
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With one of the country’s best jockeys in the saddle and one of its most esteemed trainers behind her, don’t overlook her, especially underneath in vertical exotics. 4.—
Teresa Genaro,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
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Eschewing runways for a closed public road, the annual Sun Valley Tour de Force, next taking place July 17 through 19 in Ketchum, Idaho, allows enthusiasts to test the limits of their own exotics, such as the owner of a Bugatti Chiron who reached 253.01 mph on a previous edition’s 3.2-mile stretch.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Beyond the novelty and pride, many of us are looking to this new pope with a deeper longing: could this be a moment of moral and institutional renewal for America?—
Christopher Hale,
Time,
9 May 2025
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The title looks like a novelty, so an uptempo song seems obvious.—
Tom Roland,
Billboard,
9 May 2025
Noun
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Don’t fill your space with knickknacks from a one-stop shopping spree.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2025
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It’s filled with racks of clothes, art and dinosaur knickknacks.—
Lia Picard,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Curio.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curio. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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