1
as in anomalies
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lovers
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something
I'm a hockey freak
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in whims
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 addicts
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
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Recent Examples of freaks
Here’s hoping that’s not the case, because Arjona looks more than capable of taking out these glowing-eyed freaks all by herself.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 2 June 2026
They were considered to have strange physical afflictions or weak mental attitudes, and some people with endocrine diseases were even dismissed as ‘freaks’ and heckled in circuses or locked away in institutions.
—Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Jocks and mean girls relished in the mainstream, while the freaks and losers huddled over video-game music and alt weirdness.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026
The traveling circus show brings acrobats, illusionists, freaks and mysterious creatures inside its black and red tent starting Friday, April 3, and running daily through Monday, April 13.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2026
Life online appears to be neatly divisible, and indeed divided, into freaks on the one hand and, on the other, reasonable people such as yourself.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
Its owners, Eric Finkelstein and Matt Ross, are sandwich freaks in the best possible way; on the shop’s vast menu, not a single sandwich is a dud.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Not as freaks to be studied from afar, mimicked, and exploited for other people’s creative whims or amusement, but as complex and whole parts of the world worth exploring and celebrating.
—Sarah Kurchak, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 2 June 2026
They were considered to have strange physical afflictions or weak mental attitudes, and some people with endocrine diseases were even dismissed as ‘freaks’ and heckled in circuses or locked away in institutions.
—Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Jocks and mean girls relished in the mainstream, while the freaks and losers huddled over video-game music and alt weirdness.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 8 May 2026
The traveling circus show brings acrobats, illusionists, freaks and mysterious creatures inside its black and red tent starting Friday, April 3, and running daily through Monday, April 13.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2026
Life online appears to be neatly divisible, and indeed divided, into freaks on the one hand and, on the other, reasonable people such as yourself.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026
Its owners, Eric Finkelstein and Matt Ross, are sandwich freaks in the best possible way; on the shop’s vast menu, not a single sandwich is a dud.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Not as freaks to be studied from afar, mimicked, and exploited for other people’s creative whims or amusement, but as complex and whole parts of the world worth exploring and celebrating.
—Sarah Kurchak, Time, 9 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freaks
Noun
-
Two of the four Vulcan launches to date have suffered anomalies with solid rocket boosters, and although the missions succeeded in placing their payloads into orbit, the launcher is grounded as ULA and its subcontractors probe the recurring problem.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
28 May 2026
-
Along Lake Austin’s banks, listings like these are not anomalies so much as markers.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The mountain still erupts with theatrical force, and wines from the surrounding Etna DOC (a region often predicted to become Sicily’s second DOCG, the highest classification) attract wine lovers with their vibrant acidity and mineral edge.—
Layne Randolph,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
The restaurant doesn’t let meat lovers suffer, offering a 24-ounce Tomahawk and a flaming filet flaming courtesy of tequila.—
Connie Ogle
May 31,
Miami Herald,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Barcelona, too, suffered from the whims of their men’s financial state this season.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Who told the world about Wendy's meth addicts absolutely KILLING a multi-billion-dollar fast-food giant YEARS ago?—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2026
-
AlAnon is a support group for family and friends of alcoholics/addicts.—
Ramona Sentinel,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The most minimal type of pruning, selective pruning refers to removing dead, diseased, or broken branches and suckers coming up from the roots to improve the structure of the plant.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
-
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
Noun
-
The heavy hand of British executions, offensive to Indigenous notions of reparative justice, also provoked many.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
Both are interested, in different ways, in notions of artifice and authenticity.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
If a court found that Twitter’s privacy policy adequately informed users that their contact info might be used for ad targeting, then the FTC should not be able to continue punishing X for that behavior, Musk argued.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2026
-
At launch, Netflix says the game will take over every subscriber’s home screen — giving it the widest possible marketing campaign — and users will instantly be able to play after scanning the QR code with their phone.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
The score alone might make the fans happy.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
1 June 2026
-
Watermelon Pool was first published in Korea in 2015, and this new English translation brings its wonderfully surreal story and artwork to a new audience of imaginative young fans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Freaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freaks. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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