ODD Synonyms: 155 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

odd

adjective

ˈäd

Definition of odd

as in strange

different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion odd behavior that prompted one of the waiting passengers to alert airport security

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in unusual

being out of the ordinary the only odd grade for the exam was the one perfect score

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as in uncommon

noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced the odd occurrences in the area attracted the attention of people interested in psychic phenomena

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as in occasional

not often occurring or repeated with the exception of the odd sick day, he never takes time off from work

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 That may sound odd considering Cybercab does not allow children under 13. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Sep. 2026 However, since a Higgs boson does not have a spin of its own, the two Z bosons formed during its decay cannot have any odd combinations of spins. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2026 Having 22 cameras for eight intersections might seem odd, but Candiano explained each camera is fixed on a pole, grabbing still photos of vehicles going in a single direction. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2026 Clumsy wording and odd formatting used to give fraudulent emails away. — Pawan Jain, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for odd

Recent Examples of Synonyms for odd

Adjective

In a small town, several dead people are brought back to life through a strange ritual involving burning duck manure.

— Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
Back outside, the strangest part of the scene might have been how normal everything seemed to the people wearing crimson and blue.

— Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of strange

Adjective

The move is unusual due to the more than six-month-long conflict between Iran and the United States and no sign that agreements to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or return to talks on Iran's nuclear program are close.

— September 18, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
The team also needed to confirm that the unusual structures were genuine electron behavior rather than artifacts created by the microscope.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of unusual

Adjective

The happy couple, naturally, take occasional breaks to sip champagne, soak in a bubble bath and lasciviously feed each other ice cream amid the barely dressed, hedonistic debauchery.

— Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2026
More of these passing lows are possible through the rest of the month with cooler temperatures and the occasional cloud abound.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of occasional

Adjective

The rehearsals were intense, with a ton of new choreography and a crash course in how movies are made, since every single one of us in the cast was making our major-film debut.

— Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
While national rankings can offer one way for students and families to compare schools, Niche said, colleges serve different purposes and that students should consider factors beyond a single ranking.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of single

Adjective

Appropriated from a John Cale album, the title accurately describes scenes of bloodletting committed by bizarre, scenery-chewing yakuza members, and the energy hovers somewhere around a bloodier-than-baseline Takashi Miike movie from the mid-2000s.

— Vadim Rizov, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026
Her family and church life remained opaque, but her bizarre comedic timing and magnetic onscreen presence turned her into everyone’s favorite reality-TV anti-hero.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of bizarre

Adjective

The Tigers repeatedly found explosive gains through the air, some created not by an extraordinary throw but by a defensive breakdown.

— Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
The adventure experts at EYOS Expeditions have curated a new journey that combines a deep-water expedition with all the extraordinary wonders of Alaska’s wilderness.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of extraordinary

Adjective

On paper, the script didn’t seem that funny, and the looseness of it all — the clowning, the lack of a traditional plot structure — seemed kind of slapdash.

— Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
The play touches on issues of male bonding, family, reentering the dating pool, loss, grief and despair, while being very funny almost all the time.

— Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of funny

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“Odd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/odd. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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