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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

The latter is a very eccentric and memorable fighter who always brings tons of energy into the Octagon. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026 Steve Buscemi is reprising his role as Wiley, the eccentric former teammate of the friend group. — Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026

Noun

But the film is really a tour of a pre-gentrified East Village, full of low-key bars and cafes, run-down apartments, eccentrics and struggling artists. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026 Once a stronghold of canneries and lumber mills, the town has numerous tumbledown Victorians that have long been havens for artists, brewers, and various eccentrics—along with fans of The Goonies, who make pilgrimages to see where the seminal movie was shot. — David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for eccentric

Recent Examples of Synonyms for eccentric

Adjective

Years earlier at her former lab in Ohio, chromosomes in mouse eggs and embryos began dividing in bizarre ways, creating the kinds of genetic errors that can lead to Down syndrome and other chromosomal disorders.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Her videos were outrageous and conspiratorial, and the more elaborate and bizarre her stories became, the more people online were drawn to her.

— Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of bizarre

Noun

The character at its center is Bret Easton Ellis — played here by Igby Rigney, who does look eerily like the author’s high-school yearbook photo — and the book and series are largely inspired by Ellis’s real-life senior year at the Buckley School.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
The show has new characters and a fresh storyline for Los Angeles.

— Hunter Sowards, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of character

Adjective

Investigators later ruled out trains and power lines as possible causes — and traced the fire’s point of origin to the same spot Child witnessed the man’s strange behavior.

— Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
And Dad actually makes an uncredited vocal cameo on one of the album’s more blessedly strange tracks.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of strange

Noun

The Ramones stood on stage not as rock gods or unattainable heroes, but as oddballs, misfits, and fellow outcasts in torn jeans.

— Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
The Wylkes Society’s members include many of the amiable oddballs Miles has met around town.

— Heller McAlpin, Christian Science Monitor, 7 July 2026

Definition of oddball

Adjective

Bitingly funny in its comedy and wistful in its drama, the film rests on the delicate performance of newcomer Verma, a diminutive, age-appropriate actor who molds Ilyas in captivating ways.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026
There are also funny cameos from Pete Davidson and Bobby Cannavale, both used well.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of funny

Adjective

The city’s street style continues to champion weird-but-it-works combinations over predictable formulas, and individuality above all else.

— Kelsey Stewart, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026
The vibes are awkward all around, and things only get weirder when Emira pulls Georgia aside to chat.

— Tom Smyth, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of weird

Noun

Wrestling can attract lonely 20-somethings, misunderstood outsiders, and creative weirdos.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Aug. 2026
James Gunn’s third and final Marvel movie is the rare finale to actually feel like a finale, an ambitious trilogy-ender that says goodbye to the galaxy’s favorite space weirdos.

— EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of weirdo

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“Eccentric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eccentric. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of eccentric

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