Definition of oddnext
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as in single
being one of a pair or set without a corresponding mate somehow, there's always at least one odd sock that comes out of the dryer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word odd distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of odd are eccentric, erratic, outlandish, peculiar, quaint, singular, strange, and unique. While all these words mean "departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected," odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.

an odd sense of humor

When can eccentric be used instead of odd?

The words eccentric and odd can be used in similar contexts, but eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.

the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers

When would erratic be a good substitute for odd?

While the synonyms erratic and odd are close in meaning, erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating.

a friend's suddenly erratic behavior

When is it sensible to use outlandish instead of odd?

In some situations, the words outlandish and odd are roughly equivalent. However, outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric.

outlandish fashions of the time

When is peculiar a more appropriate choice than odd?

While in some cases nearly identical to odd, peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness.

the peculiar status of America's first lady

When might quaint be a better fit than odd?

Although the words quaint and odd have much in common, quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness.

a quaint fishing village

Where would singular be a reasonable alternative to odd?

The meanings of singular and odd largely overlap; however, singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness.

a singular feeling of impending disaster

In what contexts can strange take the place of odd?

The words strange and odd are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable.

a journey filled with strange sights

When could unique be used to replace odd?

The synonyms unique and odd are sometimes interchangeable, but unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel.

a career unique in the annals of science

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 odd When Mercury meets Uranus, an odd concept could turn into the most interesting thing in the room. Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 17 May 2026 German media described him as an odd communicator with unusual training habits. Carl Anka, New York Times, 17 May 2026 Kindness, restraint, tact and emotional intelligence will, on the odd occasion, outprioritize full transparency. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 May 2026 In an odd coincidence that shows how much this kind of story was burning to be told, two movies debuting at major festivals this past year have both depicted the same unlikely gay romance — one involving gritty, hardworking professional truckers living on the road. Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for odd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for odd
Adjective
  • The single drove in a third run, but center fielder Andy Pages scooped up the ball and caught Gary Sánchez trying to go from first to third on the play, ending the inning.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026
  • The team also broke the NCAA single-season team run record with 651.
    Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 May 2026
Adjective
  • 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, Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
  • So yes, there was a kind of resistance, because the film and the script could seem strange, and some people wanted to normalize it, to fit it into a genre.
    Roberto Prieto, Variety, 19 May 2026
Adjective
  • The Sun forms a cazimi with Mercury in Taurus in your 3rd House of Communication, illuminating messages, conversations, errands, and daily decisions with unusual clarity.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
  • The unusual move would allow the administration to bypass a public bidding process, relying on a deal for engineering services already underway at the White House.
    Sarah Blaskey, Washington Post, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • Specials uncommon enough that many investors don’t know much (if anything) about them.
    Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
  • The problem with a premise like this is that, among many other realities, female CEOs or titans of industry are no longer uncommon.
    Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 22 May 2026
Adjective
  • The concentrated schedule created a sense of occasion and urgency that is diluted when games are spread across Thursdays, occasional Wednesdays, Friday holidays, Saturday nights, Sunday mornings and multiple streaming-exclusive windows.
    Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
  • This is a play that takes young people and their problems seriously, while incorporating occasional humor into the script and direction.
    Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • Barring an Eric Swalwell-style blow-up, the top three — Becerra, Steyer and Hilton — are really the only true contenders.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
  • Scheffler has struggled with opening rounds for most of the year since opening with a 63 in his season debut at The American Express, his only victory.
    Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • In a bizarre video circulating after his trip, Landry walked the streets of Greenland’s capital Nuuk and handed out chocolate chip cookies to baffled Greenlandic children.
    Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
  • The latest effort from idiosyncratic director Gus Van Sant dramatizes a bizarre true story about a 1977 hostage situation where a man named Tony Kistis held a mortgage broker at gunpoint with a shotgun wired to his neck.
    K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 22 May 2026
Adjective
  • Nowhere is this truer than in Russia, a nation marked by a long history of political repression alongside extraordinary literary brilliance, a rare and uneasy combination.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
  • In the dark tunnels of an active mine near Timmins, Ontario, something extraordinary is leaking out of the Earth.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Odd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/odd. Accessed 25 May. 2026.

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