ECCENTRIC Synonyms: 144 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

eccentric 1 of 2

adjective

ik-ˈsen-trik

Definition of eccentric

as in bizarre

different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion his eccentric decorating style isn't going over well with the neighbors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

eccentric

2 of 2

noun

as in character

a person of odd or whimsical habits an eccentric who designed his house to look like a Scottish castle

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

To be fair, a genre that’s given us everything from brooding, sparkling emo kids who play baseball; a stake-wielding teen slayer who can’t quit the bad boy; and eccentric sidekicks who feast on bugs is ripe with material for mockery. — Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 That’s also how Violet is thinking about their portrayal of Maureen, whose eccentric performance art and selfish behavior often give the character a bad rap. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Noun

The eccentric cuz is quick to try and help Bobby solve problems, which often gets him into trouble, but ultimately pushes him out of his shell. — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 20 June 2026 Inbred eccentrics and bumbling detectives have populated the seaside villages of Bruno Dumont’s absurdist comedies. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for eccentric

Recent Examples of Synonyms for eccentric

Adjective

Creating a licensing body is not a bizarre idea in a world where the FAA determines the airworthiness of planes and banks must pass stress tests to operate.

— Diane Brady, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026
From bizarre medical tests to a mass phobia of beans, here are 14 surprising facts that reveal just how inventive, eccentric, and fascinating the ancient Greeks really were.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of bizarre

Noun

Earlier versions looked unnaturally green, while the team also considered how the character’s skin would react to different lighting.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Coleman said each design has its own distinct character and can be styled individually, either as a subtle everyday detail or a sculptural statement.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of character

Adjective

The small army at Kostabi World turned out images of featureless characters moving through strange, otherworldly scenes, caught between intimacy, alienation, and the discomfort of contemporary life.

— Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
The first bit of growth might be especially strange-looking, says Sutcliffe.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of strange

Noun

Brecht once observed that Seghers thrived on the depiction of oddballs and loners.

— Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
When Artificial does go wide, audiences may be most surprised to find out that the true lead of Artificial isn’t Garfield’s ambitious Altman but Borisov’s brilliant, sweet oddball Ilya Sutskever.

— Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of oddball

Adjective

Underneath the celebrity and the tabloid headlines is someone who’s vulnerable, funny and desperately trying to hold her life together.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
The book’s humor is sharp and merciless, akin to that of a standup comedy show, and yet the things described are far from funny.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of funny

Noun

Another 24 new releases are lined up for the rest of the year; most of them originals (20) followed by new seasons (3) and a saga.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
According to the brand, the casks are rotated while aging to encourage interaction between liquid and wood, and like the original the gin spent 71 nights maturing.

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of original

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“Eccentric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eccentric. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of eccentric

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noun

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