as in unusual
being out of the ordinary
even weather forecasters seemed surprised by the freak hailstorm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in anomaly
a person, thing, or event that is far from normal
that snowstorm in April was a freak, since our weather is usually much balmier by then
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lover
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
I'm a hockey freak
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whim
a sudden impulsive and apparently unmotivated idea or action
suddenly had the bizarre freak to take a road trip across the country
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in addict
slang
a person who regularly uses drugs especially illegally
he knew that he'd never get his life in order if he continued to hang out with the crystal meth freaks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 freak
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2023
It’s just what happens sometimes and it’s just such a freak accident.
—Mohammad Ahmad, cleveland, 4 Jan. 2023
Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026
The pair's characters met in the season 5 premiere in 2008 after Owen, an Army trauma surgeon fresh from Iraq, dramatically rescued Cristina following a freak icicle accident outside Seattle Grace Hospital.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for freak
Adjective
An Army hockey player was cut in the neck in a freak accident during a game at Sacred Heart on Thursday night, leaving a bloody trail on the ice at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 6 Jan. 2023
It’s just what happens sometimes and it’s just such a freak accident.
—Mohammad Ahmad, cleveland, 4 Jan. 2023
Noun
The family cat has been missing for week, compounding the agony of losing her 7-year-old son Kakeru in a freak accident two years before, but Otone puts it to one side and continues with her latest project, designing a bespoke home for a fussy married couple.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 May 2026
The pair's characters met in the season 5 premiere in 2008 after Owen, an Army trauma surgeon fresh from Iraq, dramatically rescued Cristina following a freak icicle accident outside Seattle Grace Hospital.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for freak
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freak
Adjective
-
Since arriving at the zoo, the buffalo has attracted large crowds and sparked debate over its unusual nickname.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2026
-
What’s unusual is to see these elements presented so grandly on a stage as big as The Bushnell’s and presented in a manner that doesn’t compromise a dark tale of anger, revenge, dangerous romance, desperation and survival.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Space Launch Delta 45 stated that anomaly would not affect other launches, and the SpaceX launch was the first of two planned on the day from Canaveral with a ULA Atlas V launch slated for later on the day.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 June 2026
-
Blue Origin has not publicly discussed the cause of the New Glenn failure, but speculation has focused on a possible anomaly in one of the seven main BE-4 engines.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The apartment has original hardwood floors, which set the stage for thoughtful modern and vintage furniture; a fiddle leaf fig tree as well as other touches of real plant life on the interior and exterior add to the garden district location to make this stay a plant lover’s haven.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
30 May 2026
-
Outdoor exercise lovers will want to snap up this $14 skort to stay cool while playing pickleball or going for a walk.—
Madeline Merinuk,
PEOPLE,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Even in the best of times, cattle producers are also at nature's whim.—
Joe Hernandez,
NPR,
29 May 2026
-
No matter how much someone disagrees with recent decisions by the high court, threatening to subordinate judicial independence to the whims of a political party befits a banana republic.—
Washington Post Editorial Board,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The Pennsylvania native made her TV acting debut on the HBO hit as Faye, the adrift addict who bonds with Fezco (the late Angus Cloud) and later Rue (Zendaya), after previously establishing herself in adult films, with creator Sam Levinson casting her directly.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
-
So, Alamo decides to kill Rue in an uncharacteristically anticlimactic fashion — by giving her painkillers laced with fentanyl and trusting that the addict will be tempted enough to swallow them.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Dylan’s custom Fender Stratocaster reflects both his extraordinary creativity and the pioneering spirit of the American guitar maker.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
1 June 2026
-
Are Henry James’s heroines, surely among the most extraordinary female characters in literary history, really one-dimensional idols?—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Stevens has a rare genetic degenerative eye disorder caused by mutations in the CERKL gene.—
Regina Elling,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
-
About 20 years ago, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that people with mutations in their PCSK9 gene tended to have very low levels of LDL, and therefore low rates of heart events.—
Alice Park,
Time,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Details such as the relatively few suckers on its arms, its smooth skin, beak features and the coloring around its organs and parts of the mantle indicated a new species, now called Microeledone galapagensis.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
24 May 2026
-
Trimming the suckers, from the first 2 feet above the ground, ensures the plant's energy is focused on the main vines and cucumbers, says Scott.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
23 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Freak.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freak. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
