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eccentric

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word eccentric distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of eccentric are erratic, odd, outlandish, peculiar, quaint, singular, strange, and unique. While all these words mean "departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected," eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.

the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers

When is erratic a more appropriate choice than eccentric?

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

a friend's suddenly erratic behavior

When is it sensible to use odd instead of eccentric?

While in some cases nearly identical to eccentric, odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.

an odd sense of humor

Where would outlandish be a reasonable alternative to eccentric?

Although the words outlandish and eccentric have much in common, outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric.

outlandish fashions of the time

When could peculiar be used to replace eccentric?

The meanings of peculiar and eccentric largely overlap; however, peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness.

the peculiar status of America's first lady

In what contexts can quaint take the place of eccentric?

In some situations, the words quaint and eccentric are roughly equivalent. However, quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness.

a quaint fishing village

When can singular be used instead of eccentric?

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

a singular feeling of impending disaster

When would strange be a good substitute for eccentric?

The words strange and eccentric are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable.

a journey filled with strange sights

When might unique be a better fit than eccentric?

The synonyms unique and eccentric are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 eccentric
Adjective
Fred Armisen will reprise his role as Wednesday's eccentric uncle. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025 The Discovery Series turns to double-barreling while the Collaborative Series returns to Cognac casks, highlighting the distillery’s commitment to unique finishes and eccentric blends. Andy Vasoyan, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
Hanna’s father is, on the one hand, a hoot, a charming eccentric who drops by for drinks on the porch and is frequently the source of some laugh-out-loud punchlines. John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2025 Emerson had been a local eccentric in his Minnesota hometown, Osakis, who lived for a while in a tepee in a public park, tapping maple trees to make syrup. Dan Barry, Twin Cities, 21 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for eccentric
Recent Examples of Synonyms for eccentric
Adjective
  • But everything changes when a string of gruesome killings—which grow increasingly bizarre, with victims covered in rashes and found in deranged, violent states—involves his young daughter Hyo-jin (Kim Hwan-hee).
    Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Paxton’s interest in Paul’s plight was bizarre, obsessive and so far beyond normal operations at the attorney general’s office that the agency’s top officials struggled to convey their concerns during the hourslong meeting with two FBI agents.
    Kimberly Ross, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Indeed, the only character from The Office that actually carried over into the new series is Oscar, who serves as the lead accountant for Softees but gets dragooned into reporting and constructing Sudokus for the paper.
    Michael M. Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Instead, deaf viewers see unsynchronized plain white text on a black background and it is left to their imagination to infer those rich and nuanced character tomes essential for storytelling that hearing audiences take for granted.
    Gus Alexiou, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The combination of strange comments, a clear lack of education and experience, and a disturbing personal history with mental health struggles and domestic problems doomed his campaign.
    Kimberly Ross, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Coon admitted that their daughter has also taken up a strange favorite film.
    Avalon Hester, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Oliver, Steve Martin’s Charles, and Selena Gomez’s Mabel work the case while navigating the usual constellation of oddballs that orbit them.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Russ then tries to resurrect his dreams by disguising himself as Chad Powers — a talented oddball who walks on to the struggling South Georgia Catfish team.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Zambians are warm, funny, proud.
    Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Darkly funny and deeply melancholic, the film turns the family estate into a pressure cooker of grief, grudges and reluctant affection.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Rob Reiner — who directed, starred and co-wrote the original with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer — has once again directed the sequel, faithfully playing his role as filmmaker Marty DiBergi, complete with military baseball cap and a director’s viewfinder around his neck.
    Mark Kennedy, Boston Herald, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The performance began with an arrangement fairly faithful to Isbell’s original, with Boone accompanied by just an acoustic guitar.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The second reason is that these aura battler designs were very complex and full of curves as well as weird angles.
    Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Things get weird, however, when the lines between science fiction and fantasy start to blur.
    Richard Edwards, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But most Diavel enthusiasts are moto weirdos who like their bikes to be one of a kind and fast as hell.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Sep. 2025
  • But there may not be a universe of fiending Letterboxd dorks ready to uplift a weirdo like Lewis on the charts.
    Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Eccentric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eccentric. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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