1
as in bizarre
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion
the night watchman calls the police if he notices any out-of-the-way activity taking place during his shift
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unusual
noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced
there was nothing out-of-the-way about the hitchhiker's appearance that might arouse suspicion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
out of the way
2 of 2phrase
1
as in up
brought or having come to an end
Now that we've got the first step out of the way it's time to start phase two.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inappropriate
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation
They hoped he wouldn't say anything out of the way at the party.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of out-of-the-way
Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026
But some of the most fascinating stuff was in out-of-the-way places.
—Beverly Gage, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026
Besides the occasional random spider that scuttles indoors, some spiders can live in out-of-the-way spots in your home, such as along ceilings or in basements and behind clutter.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026
Floating alone where the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans meet, this island nation was long considered too out-of-the-way for travelers … until airlines like Icelandair started luring Americans with cheap flights to Europe that included a stopover in Iceland.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for out-of-the-way
Adjective
While major cities like Tokyo and Kyoto are on every itinerary, the country offers hidden gems, out-of-the-way experiences, and relatively unknown places to explore.
—Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2026
But some of the most fascinating stuff was in out-of-the-way places.
—Beverly Gage, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026
Besides the occasional random spider that scuttles indoors, some spiders can live in out-of-the-way spots in your home, such as along ceilings or in basements and behind clutter.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026
Floating alone where the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans meet, this island nation was long considered too out-of-the-way for travelers … until airlines like Icelandair started luring Americans with cheap flights to Europe that included a stopover in Iceland.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for out-of-the-way
Recent Examples of Synonyms for out-of-the-way
Adjective
-
But what happened on April 21 was ominous and bizarre, not conventional.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
And would today’s more bizarre cast of characters prove even more compelling?—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
But, in other respects, your approach to the future might have been unusual, at least by our modern lights.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
They have also been shown to exhibit play behavior with objects in their enclosures, highly unusual behavior for a reptile.—
Craig Stanford,
Big Think,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The band played a rather strange/disturbing version of Happy Birthday, and Bilbo’s cake appeared before us.—
Gregg Kilday,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
-
One monitor shows guitarist Jonny Greenwood manipulating a strange electronic device exuding tangled wires; another loops footage of a burning building.—
Jonathan Cohen,
SPIN,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
The condition is not uncommon and somewhat prevalent in certain breeds like various Spaniels, certain Hounds, some Retrievers, and some giant dog breeds.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
-
Learning more about the uncommon, but serious, illness prompted important health conversations.—
Sam Woodward,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
But Fredrik Berselius’s cooking is too weird and wild to fit the bounds of one creed.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
Although studying weird worlds such as L 98-59 d will probably help to clarify how planets evolve, researchers are still working to understand this particular one.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
This leads us on an intimate, and at times funny, journey of self-discovery and missteps told in five chapters over the course of a critical year in Robin’s life.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
7 May 2026
-
And there are some funny moments along the way, such as a scene in which Miranda tries to hang up her coat, having been told to stop throwing it at her assistants.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Reed headed for New York City immediately after college and worked a series of odd jobs.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
An odd introduction to a game of manipulation and backstabbing, perhaps, but that is the duality of Survivor.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
The loss marked an early end for the Frost, which had previously gone a perfect 6-0 when facing elimination in the PWHL playoffs, and halted the team’s quest for a rare threepeat.—
Hailey Salvian,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
But the Andes virus detected in the cruise ship outbreak may be able to spread between people in rare cases.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Out-of-the-way.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/out-of-the-way. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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