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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
The film will follow a young boy sent to spend a summer with his charismatic and wildly eccentric grandfather on a remote Welsh farm. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025 Maura’s performance makes Maria Angeles so magnetic and eccentric — earthily practical on some matters, dizzily irrational on others, and sympathetically true to herself on all fronts — that all the film’s other players want for detail and texture by comparison. Guy Lodge, Variety, 4 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 upon Bennet’s arrival, things take a turn for the bizarre, when the wealthy tycoon builds himself a prison cell in the basement, in an apparent act of meditative penance that forces Blakey into an inversion of traditional power dynamics.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Tasked with bringing into reality those that are a little further down on the bizarre end of the spectrum, the show’s prosthetics and VFX teams had their work cut out for them.
    Lisa de los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Here, played by the black actress Karen Bryson, the character is all brains and sass.
    Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • At one point during NCIS' run, de Pablo's character was thought to be dead.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Because something very strange happens here.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Probably not, given the company’s strange hesitance to part ways with its current leadership.
    Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • So will Crown Royal Chocolate achieve the oddball fandom that Peach was the recipient of a few years back?
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Several commenters expressed their support for him, saying emphatic no’s and doubling down on how funny the skit was.
    Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 4 Sep. 2025
  • The show has captured the world’s imagination with its charming, funny, and relatable observations about everyday family life.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There are also two originals by American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.
    Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Blessedly, the follow-up to The Nun improves on the original in every way.
    Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Even with Muchová so clearly struggling, Osaka faced some weird jeopardy down the stretch.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Far from being dead, reunions exist now in a zone of distortion, a weird gray area in which many people feel obligated to go without quite knowing why.
    Jordan Michelman, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • For those who never got sick of watching Dunder Mifflin’s few sane employees stare exasperatedly into the camera as one of its certifiable weirdos did something unhinged, there’s a good amount of that here, too.
    Judy Berman, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
  • One does not hire Bill Skarsgård unless one is looking for a lanky, off-putting weirdo.
    Katie Rife, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Eccentric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eccentric. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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