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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 On TikTok, people are given access to one another in an odd way that even other social media platforms didn’t. Nicole Fell, HollywoodReporter, 18 Apr. 2025 Thankfully for Clooney and his dark locks, Good Night, and Good Luck has proven one of the most successful shows on Broadway, so something is working about the haircut that doesn’t translate to the odd CNN still making the rounds on Twitter. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025 People had called, but Tommy wouldn’t answer — odd for a man Maryanne often chastised for taking too many calls at the dinner table. Kristina Goetz, USA Today, 13 Apr. 2025 His best by far came off an odd-man rush where Suzuki shot to create a rebound for Cole Caufield. Omar White, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for odd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for odd
Adjective
  • Each plane has four single suites and four side-by-side suites, two of each at the front of each business class cabin.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
  • In this Oscar-winning documentary, filmmaker Craig Foster free-dives daily in a South African kelp forest to follow a single cephalopod over a year.
    Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Bengals added Fairchild in the third, so adding another lineman while there were more pressing needs is strange, especially a raw lineman like Rivers.
    Mark Weinstein, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Moses’s book eddies around with the energy of someone reporting back from a very long and strange evening clicking through Wikipedia links, enjoying every chance to add a tangent.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Although not musicians, the Goldbergs quickly realized there was something unusual about their 3-year-old boy.
    Steve Rothaus, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
  • For one group of six girls living in Waterloo, Canada, their lives took an unusual turn when a couple of very territorial geese decided to claim their front lawn as their own.
    Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The eminence whom the film casts as the prime mover of benevolent governance is Nelson Rockefeller, a liberal Republican (the breed wasn’t uncommon then) who was the state’s governor from 1959 to 1973.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Loud noises in the night weren't uncommon—but this time was different.
    Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Consistency turns occasional readers into followers who can predict your stance on related issues.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Those posts often highlight the overconfident way the AI Overview frames its idiomatic explanations and occasional problems with the model confabulating sources that don't exist.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Another: Ty Warren, one of now 14 NFL players from Bryan, Texas — and the only other defensive lineman.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 26 Apr. 2025
  • The only deal that Netanyahu would view as acceptable is a Libya-style nuclear deal.
    Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Even more bizarre was the depth the starlight's dip changed with every transit.
    Victoria Corless, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • The gay man who was involved in Rep. Nancy Mace’s viral meltdown at an Ulta Beauty store is speaking out about the bizarre incident.
    Abby Monteil, Them., 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • One minor injury was reported in the extraordinary mishap.
    Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2025
  • In the following months, Modi’s government introduced a series of extraordinary initiatives meant to solidify Hindu dominance.
    Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Odd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/odd. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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