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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 And what was odd was the fact that the day’s practice wasn’t bad. Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2026 Deal talks often stretch into odd hours and unpredictable schedules, becoming marathon sessions. Sudhakar Ramakrishna, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026 Sources told multiple outlets that Rob and Michele Reiner, along with Nick, attended talk-show host Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party the night before, and that Rob Reiner and his son got into a heated argument over his son’s odd behavior at the event. City News Service, Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026 Elliptical and odd, Foster’s speech was, for a time, her closing statement about her fame. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for odd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for odd
Adjective
  • According to another shopper, the battery lasts long enough to clean their entire apartment in one single charge.
    Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Cosmic said the Santa Rosa home is the first single-family home being built using its AI technology.
    Kenny Choi, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The sounds had become a strange new normal for the diverse Central neighborhood.
    Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
  • And there was a strange preoccupation with running out of time, even though the show ended a good 15 minutes early as if the performers didn’t understand their own timeline.
    Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Andy Baker-White, the senior director of state health policy for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said the bipartisan support for bills targeting food dyes and ultraprocessed food struck him as unusual.
    Alan Greenblatt, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
  • But David did put in place an unusual corporate reporting structure in which Weiss reports directly to him, rather than through the head of CBS — an arrangement that has imbued every decision Weiss has made with speculation about whether David might be influencing her choices.
    Reeves Wiedeman, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Engineers with PennDOT said the slide sent debris across both lanes of I-79 in an area where landslides are not uncommon.
    Patrick Damp, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Serious side effects are uncommon, but high-dose treatment for deficiency can occasionally cause low potassium levels.
    Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Not even those who, inspired by occasional bouts of yellow fever, had sure access to fleeting moments of lucidity.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Today, occasional direct ferries provide a simpler two-hour crossing.
    Maria Williams, USA Today, 11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • While there are various courses offered to inmates in Mississippi’s prisons, the only higher education degree available at Parchman is an associate’s or bachelor’s in theology from the New Orleans Baptist Seminary.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
  • The only legislator voting against it was Carl DeMaio, who represents East County.
    Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • His work is marked by unusual, even bizarre, material choices that encrust spatial compositions reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s innovative open space plans.
    Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Some unnamed Chicago bartender in the early 1880s had the improbable idea of taking a Whiskey Sour and adding a little red wine to the top, inventing in a bizarre flash of insightone of the great warm weather whiskey drinks of our time.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Packed with extraordinary gorilla behavior never filmed before, this is a story of hope and joy.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Johnson’s ability to rapidly guide the Bears here registers as extraordinary.
    Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Odd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/odd. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.

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