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
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
The difference is, when a rando freaks out at Lithgow, it’s not televised.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
To the escorts, the protesters were religious freaks.
—Literary Hub, 11 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
Fitness freaks love to flex at Bondi, while party people prefer the many beachside bars and pubs.
—Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Dec. 2025
Nobody made videos in those primitive days, nobody except weird Brit poseurs and art freaks and thirsty postpunk eccentrics, so the network was forced to play them all.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2025
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
The difference is, when a rando freaks out at Lithgow, it’s not televised.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
To the escorts, the protesters were religious freaks.
—Literary Hub, 11 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
Fitness freaks love to flex at Bondi, while party people prefer the many beachside bars and pubs.
—Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Dec. 2025
Nobody made videos in those primitive days, nobody except weird Brit poseurs and art freaks and thirsty postpunk eccentrics, so the network was forced to play them all.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 16 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freaks
Noun
-
The massive rocket has encountered a number of anomalies and failures since its debut, including fiery explosions both on the test stand and mid-flight that have attracted plenty of headlines.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
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On Friday, unknown attackers exploited the vulnerability to push a new version of element-data, a command-line interface that helps users monitor performance and anomalies in machine-learning systems.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Nature lovers with more time to explore may want to immerse themselves in the landscape by hiking, camping, and other outdoor pursuits, but others prefer to take in the beauty and timelessness in a more relaxed way.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
3 May 2026
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Made in response to a difficult breakup, the work alludes to two lovers parting ways, but also to Pau’s memories of isolation as a severely asthmatic child in a notoriously polluted city, lying in bed staring at the wall and inventing stories to distract herself from the difficulty of breathing.—
Pauline J. Yao,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Poor Andy Sachs — in the form of the Disney princess-eyed Anne Hathaway — may have suffered the verbal lashings of a boss who expected whims to move worlds on her behalf.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
29 Apr. 2026
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But a loving parent, Sarkis adds, doesn't acquiesce to all of their child's whims.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
AlAnon is a support group for family and friends of alcoholics/addicts.—
Ramona Sentinel,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
However, the addicts among you do have second-screen options.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lilac shrubs also spread through suckers — new stems that sprout from the root system and can crowd out other plants.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Keep in mind that trumpet vines can become invasive by self-seeding and sending up suckers, so allocate ample space.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And all sorts of people—technologists, writers, artists, politicians, investors, and businesspeople—now work to shape our notions about what’s to come.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
In it, Hayek cautioned against the growing intellectual and political notions that disregarded liberty in favor of central planning of economic affairs.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The situation is tricky enough in the case of innovations that users voluntarily adopt—plenty of people do not let their dim view of Meta overly interfere with their enjoyment of Instagram.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
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The Fitbit Air may appeal to users seeking a simpler alternative to the Apple Watch — one with fewer distractions and notifications — or a cheaper option than rival health trackers.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Especially for beleaguered Magic fans, who have suffered through 17 seasons now without seeing their team win a playoff series.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 May 2026
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To this day, players and fans still believe that outside forces can conspire for or against them, that actions taken off the field can somehow affect the result of the game.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Freaks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freaks. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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