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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

But Chrissy has other contingency plans for life after Josie, involving eccentric scientist Henry Capaldi (Steve Buscemi), who specializes in using technology to deal with family loss. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 The casting was based around the character of the person, as well as their alignment with Chopova Lowena’s rebellious and eccentric USP, says casting director Saffron McLeod, who cast the show alongside Lana Randolfi. — Joe Bobowicz, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026

Noun

No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 With its loose ends and digressions, Dream Me a Dream stays true to those idiosyncratic instincts while retaining enough of the welcoming glow of Dance of Love to make this an affecting farewell from an endearing eccentric. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for eccentric

Recent Examples of Synonyms for eccentric

Adjective

The cookie shops have a rotating menu of cookies with elaborate toppings, sometimes offering bizarre flavors such as everything bagel.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Skerritt co-starred opposite Kathy Baker, playing his doctor wife in the community of Rome, Wisconsin, a place with bizarre happenings, like having a robber leaving a trail of frogs or the pope becoming the primary witness to a murder.

— CBS News, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of bizarre

Noun

It was approved by voters into the county charter in 2004 in an effort to preserve the area’s rural character and prevent high-density sprawl from stretching toward the Brevard County line.

— Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Oct. 2026
These private, elevated spaces so intrinsic to the character of the property will remain closed to the public while management seeks a practical solution.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of character

Adjective

Alexi’s script gets to the heart of the strange, necessary bonds between humans and animals.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
Something in the movement of his hands, too fast, too smooth, too precise, and something in the play of the light and shadow across his knuckles, reveals that something strange is at work.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of strange

Noun

Fittingly, Gentling the Horse’s overriding theme is a fascination with the oddballs who scrape by on the fringes of capitalist society.

— Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
The general trivia and straight clues are also tough, and there’s a good amount of novelty, including 11 debut entries, a few oddballs among them, and one utterly brutal misdirect that significantly spiced up my solving experience.

— Caitlin Lovinger, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of oddball

Adjective

Divorced from the context of a map, Texas' congressional districts might just look like a collection of funny shapes.

— CBS News, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
China did not find anything funny about the French star laughing at a meme of Mao, the communist dictator whose regime resulted in tens of millions of deaths.

— Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of funny

Noun

In 2021, the women’s 501 ’90s debuted with a looser, roomier leg and a mid-rise waist, offering a relaxed take on the original that has become a modern classic in its own right.

— Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026
The test isn’t whether the backup looks exactly like the original.

— Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of original

Noun

The singer-songwriter’s seventh album is their wackiest and funniest to date, with a madcap gleam coursing through its synth-pop portraits of lovable weirdos and suburban dread.

— Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
This is DeFalco’s debut feature after making several skits about weirdos with warped goals.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of weirdo

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“Eccentric.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/eccentric. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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