IDIOSYNCRATIC Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

idiosyncratic

adjective

as in distinctive

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 idiosyncratic Meriwether has forged one of the most idiosyncratic careers in Hollywood. — Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 31 Aug. 2026 Mehldau takes special care to retain Smith’s idiosyncratic chord structures, accentuating his sublime harmonic feel. — Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026 Central Market, released in 2009, proved that his idiosyncratic melodic sensibility could translate to a more symphonic setting, with the Wordless Music Orchestra giving his giddy, loop-heavy compositions a bustling, bristling density. — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 24 Aug. 2026 These documents could be messy, idiosyncratic, full of typos and misplaced punctuation. — Julia Korn, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 In their place are flawed geniuses and idiosyncratic personalities thrust together in the dregs of intelligence services, operating like a dysfunctional family under its disreputable patriarch. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026 For Marni's summer collections, Consuelo brought her idiosyncratic sensibility to looks that mixed ethnic and vintage elements with intriguing cutting. — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 16 Aug. 2026 The visual effects artists and animators then got to work creating digital Martians that would have the handmade, idiosyncratic style Burton originally intended to achieve with stop-motion. — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 11 Aug. 2026 This project is the collaboration of two people with idiosyncratic musical styles. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for idiosyncratic

Adjective

These challenging conditions are precisely what make a summer off-road safari such a distinctive way to experience Iceland’s rugged interior.

— Gwen Nicol, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2026
Meghna Gulzar has a very distinctive voice and an ability to approach difficult subjects with both restraint and intensity.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of distinctive

Adjective

If physical gestures serve our relatives just fine, why did our own branch of the family tree gradually favor biological changes in our brains and anatomy that permitted our characteristic complexities in language and precision in speech?

— Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
And in relation to me and Baba—so much of that inability to express affection is characteristic of son-father relationships in Arab families and has so much to do with how both of us were taught what a man should behave like.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of characteristic

Adjective

Heuer’s attorney, Erick Kaardal, argued that privacy concerns could be balanced with the public’s right to access government records by redacting identifying or sensitive information on the forms.

— Scott Bauer, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
But the implementation of that plan has been slow, and some locals have expressed discomfort with the idea of submitting more identifying information, Nguyen said.

— Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026

Definition of identifying

Adjective

With Diane Lane narrating from Eleanor’s journals during that time, Making Marie Antoinette transcends a behind-the-scenes special and becomes a much more intimate look into the artistry of a mother and daughter in conversation with each other.

— Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
And given the intimate size of the hotel, expect to drink a few too many G&Ts with them once evenings swing around.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of intimate

Adjective

Instead, detectives say the group used falsified invoices and documents and transferred cash into personal bank accounts.

— Chelsea Jones, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
For an undergraduate student living off campus, Detroit Mercy estimates $3,220 for transportation and $10,830 for personal and miscellaneous expenses.

— Adrienne Roberts, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of personal

Adjective

At a special fair contest, Iowa pie bakers gave the Pie Lady Louise Piper a fitting farewell.

— Courtney Crowder, Des Moines Register, 28 Aug. 2026
If your stay involves a special occasion, the Teppanyaki show-cooking experience makes for an unforgettable celebration.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of special

Browse Nearby Words

idiosyncrasy

idiosyncratic

idiot

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Idiosyncratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/idiosyncratic. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of idiosyncratic

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

apiary

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes