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oddball 1 of 2

noun

ˈäd-ˌbȯl How to pronounce oddball (audio)
Definition of oddballnext
as in eccentric
a person of odd or whimsical habits she's known as the office oddball

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

oddball

2 of 2

adjective

as in bizarre

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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 oddball
Noun
No documentarian has a better eye for intriguing oddballs than Errol Morris, who built his feature film career on drawing them out in conversation, from pet-cemetery owners in Gates of Heaven to small-town eccentrics in Vernon, Florida. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 The Ramones stood on stage not as rock gods or unattainable heroes, but as oddballs, misfits, and fellow outcasts in torn jeans. — Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
Adjective
Henry Winkler plays the oddball mayor, Lena Headey the town barkeep. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Running through Saturday, the 4th of July Tuna High School Class reunion takes over the third-tiniest town in Texas, bringing oddball humor and small-town satire into the spotlight. — Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for oddball
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oddball
  1. eccentric
  2. bizarre
  3. character
  4. unusual
  5. original
  6. kooky
Noun
  • The public reckonings with these figures’ legacies—the troubled former child star gone too soon, the beloved icon, the cult favorite, the complicated eccentric—have come in a cascade.
    — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Make sure to practice a full range of motion with these and emphasize the eccentric (the way down) part of the movement for maximal time under tension and muscle-building stimulus.
    — Jakob Roze, HEALTH, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of eccentric
Adjective
  • In a bizarre way, meeting the late, great Lynch — whom Watts did an impeccable impression of, pretend cigarette and all — was almost like therapy for the actress, who landed that breakout role at the age of 31.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 27 Sep. 2026
  • In 2018, Entertainment Weekly wrote an oral history of the bizarre entertainment at the 1989 gala.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of bizarre
Noun
  • The conversation and the word itself, which gives the seventh and final episode its title, unlocks the Biblical underpinnings and the complexities governing many of the main characters.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Still, the endeavor feels worth it for Pugh and Lee’s standout efforts, which etch their characters deep into one’s memory.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of character
Adjective
  • Voters are deeply concerned about income disparity but also skeptical about the unusual approach of the billionaire tax.
    — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The incident adds an unusual detail to the growing record of autonomous AI behavior.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of unusual
Noun
  • Maybe the biggest name to ever appear on the original was a pre-fame Halle Berry.
    — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The Korean original, fronted by Ryu Deok-hwan, was a major success at home and got viewers talking.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of original
Adjective
  • Bob Mackie, the fashion designer whose visually provocative Hollywood style defined glamour for the 1970s -- including putting Carol Burnett in some of her kookiest getups and Cher in her raciest ones -- died Monday.
    — MARK KENNEDY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Camp’s turn here as a kooky neighbor who stumbles into an unexpected romance is exactly the kind of role that gets a room talking (and laughing).
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of kooky

Browse Nearby Words

odd
oddball
oddballs
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Cite this Entry

“Oddball.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oddball. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

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