as in trick
an odd or peculiar habit
his only idiosyncrasy is his inveterate wearing of sneakers, even with business suits
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Recent Examples of idiosyncrasy
An analysis of the previous plans by the New York Times pointed out some idiosyncrasies in the design, among them, that its grand staircase didn't lead to the ballroom and there was no door on the side facing the staircase.
—
Arden Farhi, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
The post of deputy mayor of public safety has consistently experienced high turnover, and with every transition comes a shift in strategy (driven by ego, politics and personal idiosyncrasy).
—Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Polymarket is in the business of transforming the news cycle into a series of hedgable data points; real estate, with all its possible variables and idiosyncrasies, is a natural extension.
—Molly Osberg, Curbed, 16 Mar. 2026
The diminishing results amplified his idiosyncrasies.
—Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idiosyncrasy
Arden Farhi, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
The post of deputy mayor of public safety has consistently experienced high turnover, and with every transition comes a shift in strategy (driven by ego, politics and personal idiosyncrasy).
—Michael Pfleger, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
Polymarket is in the business of transforming the news cycle into a series of hedgable data points; real estate, with all its possible variables and idiosyncrasies, is a natural extension.
—Molly Osberg, Curbed, 16 Mar. 2026
The diminishing results amplified his idiosyncrasies.
—Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for idiosyncrasy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for idiosyncrasy
Noun
-
Many of his later programs have been capped by a coda in which the tricks of the trade are laid bare—no trick being more vital than that of extreme patience, with camera operators waiting days, or even weeks, for the right cub, or pup, or fledgling, or froglet, to show up.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
There is not a whole lot to chuckle about these days, and her column does the trick for me every week.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
What coaches do is acquire and elevate the players who have the cultural traits the team needs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
-
Music, both as one character’s defining trait and as a story-telling device — snippets of pop tunes across decades swiftly drive time shifts in the play’s first two acts — is a major aspect.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
That realization has led some investors to examine assets with different characteristics.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
While acknowledging that antisemites may have good characteristics—a loving husband, a generous and conscientious citizen—Sartre claimed that their hatred ultimately defines them.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The most compelling onscreen friendships present the relationship as a kind of osmosis, one in which two companions affectionately absorb each other’s qualities and quirks over time.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
-
Patterned wallpapers and rattan chandeliers punch up the spaces and give it some quirk.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Decadent art, with its mannerism, also its enthusiasm for skulls, swords, strippers, and other Hot Topic motifs, is for some art historians an embarrassing cul-de-sac best passed over in favor of a narrative of formal progress leading inevitably to abstraction.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
Meta staffers could potentially converse with and get feedback from the virtual double trained on his mannerisms, tone, public statements, and sentiments about the company’s strategy.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The peculiarities of these heartbreak goggles fueled a zany Saturday Night Live sketch, a standout from last night’s solid episode that saw Olivia Rodrigo doing double duty as host and musical guest.—
Paula Mejía,
The Atlantic,
3 May 2026
-
Mathematics can explain why This article is from Proof Positive, our friendly newsletter that explores the joys and peculiarities of math.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Outkast made their eccentricities feel normal, setting the bar for rap-song experimentation in the stratosphere.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Screenwriter Craig Mazin finds a way, however, by smartly retooling Swann’s story for a younger audience, stripping out the text’s more violent eccentricities, while preserving the universally winning curiosity of the premise.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Why are Americans waiting for the federal government to change local and regional habits to meet the challenges of climate change?—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
Reddit users in Millennial communities have framed the moment as a return to childhood and pre-digital habits, talking less about productivity and more about joy.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Idiosyncrasy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idiosyncrasy. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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