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Synonym Chooser

How is the word erratic distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of erratic are eccentric, odd, outlandish, peculiar, quaint, singular, strange, and unique. While all these words mean "departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected," erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating.

a friend's suddenly erratic behavior

When is eccentric a more appropriate choice than erratic?

The words eccentric and erratic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.

the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers

When can odd be used instead of erratic?

The meanings of odd and erratic largely overlap; however, odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.

an odd sense of humor

When could outlandish be used to replace erratic?

The words outlandish and erratic can be used in similar contexts, but outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric.

outlandish fashions of the time

Where would peculiar be a reasonable alternative to erratic?

Although the words peculiar and erratic have much in common, peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness.

the peculiar status of America's first lady

In what contexts can quaint take the place of erratic?

While in some cases nearly identical to erratic, quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness.

a quaint fishing village

When might singular be a better fit than erratic?

In some situations, the words singular and erratic are roughly equivalent. However, singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness.

a singular feeling of impending disaster

When would strange be a good substitute for erratic?

While the synonyms strange and erratic are close in meaning, strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable.

a journey filled with strange sights

When is it sensible to use unique instead of erratic?

The synonyms unique and erratic 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 erratic Many Democrats had hoped that increasing development of alternative power sources, particularly solar and wind, would provide cheaper electricity as renewable energy is not subject to the erratic pricing and market fluctuation dynamics of fossil fuel sources. Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025 Peter supports his two siblings, erratic recovering addict Lia (The Bear’s Abby Elliott, who does get a few good scenes) and Brian (Daniel Monks), who has lived with physical disabilities since childhood. Judy Berman, Time, 6 Nov. 2025 Salt helps regulate and weigh down waves, so freshwater waves can become huge and erratic. NPR, 6 Nov. 2025 Of course, users can still manually turn off their PCs through the regular shutdown button, but the sometimes erratic behavior from the OS has irritated users. PC Magazine, 4 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for erratic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for erratic
Adjective
  • Rumors have swirled that Jaramillo was at the center of an ambush or that his murder was part of planned retribution, but Cordero-Stutz reaffirmed that his death was a random encounter that could have happened to any deputy that day.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
  • This is the random bunch of misfits Courteney will have to transform into a team competitive enough to make it to nationals, and that will surely start to form one big family along the way.
    Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Because, well, our relationship was always so sporadic.
    Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Despite sporadic staff shortages at air traffic control facilities across the country since the shutdown began, flight operations have been largely normal.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Even its star, Kim Kardashian, is leaning into the bizarre criticism, posting photos on Instagram of herself laughing along with the rest of the cast, interspersed with scathing reviews.
    Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025
  • And calls like Payton’s bizarre third-and-1 trick play involving Courtland Sutton — a double pass that never came to be — aren’t helping.
    Troy Renck, Denver Post, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The core loop spans 18 miles with 4,500 feet of elevation gain, winding from Colchuck Lake’s turquoise waters to the Upper Enchantment Basin’s moonscape of polished granite and scattered tarns.
    Jacqueline Kehoe, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Michigan residents are in for another seasonable week, with cooler temperatures and scattered rain, according to the National Weather Service.
    Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • These include electric vehicles with extended driving ranges, large-scale renewable energy storage systems that can balance intermittent solar and wind power, and lightweight, flexible power sources for portable and wearable electronics.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Countries also need to work on better connecting intermittent renewables — those which work only when the sun shines or the wind blows — with batteries that can store their energy.
    Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Future work will focus on integrating snow-deposition modeling with PV yield simulations to more accurately predict energy losses and on expanding analyses to more complex, uneven alpine terrain.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The Trojans' uneven season hasn't exactly helped slow rumors either.
    Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • But then something strange happened.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • This addictive, loping track is one of the best and strangest songs from the artist’s fifth album.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Landor should ahve been protected by the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, passed unanimously by Congress in 2000 to prevent state and local prisons from placing arbitrary or unnecessary restrictions on religious practices.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The notion of a non-arbitrary, standard length got a boost in the early days of physics, with the idea of a length that could be held to a standard that anyone on Earth could adhere to.
    Big Think, Big Think, 10 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Erratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erratic. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.

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