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
Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2025
And Beekman Place, the tiny, out-of-the-way East River enclave favored by the old-money crowd since Shipman and her society cohort transformed it into a fashionable spot in the 1920s, largely fell out of favor around 2000.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 22 Sep. 2025
My eye was arrested by a couple of pairs in a stunning new shade, the purple of wisteria, sitting on an almost-out-of-the-way shelf.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
The out-of-the-way, squat brick building is appropriately dark inside, but clean and fairly spacious.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for out-of-the-way
Adjective
As for where to decorate, focus on your TV stand, end tables, and kitchen table, the most high-traffic but out-of-the-way areas.
—Maddie Topliff, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Nov. 2025
And Beekman Place, the tiny, out-of-the-way East River enclave favored by the old-money crowd since Shipman and her society cohort transformed it into a fashionable spot in the 1920s, largely fell out of favor around 2000.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 22 Sep. 2025
My eye was arrested by a couple of pairs in a stunning new shade, the purple of wisteria, sitting on an almost-out-of-the-way shelf.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
The out-of-the-way, squat brick building is appropriately dark inside, but clean and fairly spacious.
—Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for out-of-the-way
Recent Examples of Synonyms for out-of-the-way
Adjective
-
The eccentric cast of characters around him match his energy nicely, particularly McGinley's genuinely bizarre Walter, whose manic energy is a frequent source of humor.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Sometimes football throws up these bizarre twists of fate.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Ice cream, water fights, kind people who aren’t weird and don’t smell unusual.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Friday, an unusual time for such events on the island.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
It’s been a strange season in City Section soccer, with six schools removed from the playoffs for using ineligible players, most of whom played for club teams while also playing tor their high school team, in violation of CIF bylaw 600.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
For now, Moltbook remains a strange but revealing glimpse into how AI agents might interact in the future.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Kiwis moving abroad is not uncommon, and more Kiwis generally are choosing to leave than before; in the year ending November 2025, almost 122,000 people emigrated, a 4% jump from the previous year and higher than a previous spike in 2012.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Shows that can last eight hours or more, with maybe a dozen bands playing aren’t uncommon.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Fill up on gas and peruse a staggering menu of over 700 variations of fizzy pop, including weird and wonderful flavors such as teriyaki beef jerky soda.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Otezla The only weird aspect of this one is the choice to actually use a real brand name rather than creating some other fake Skyrizi competitor.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
For most of the evening, the mood is darkly funny and a little ominous, as the siblings take undermining jabs and the in-laws roll their eyes.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Would that kind of thing have seemed funny at the time, or maybe a clever way to avoid a topic either too personal or too fraught for out-group consumption?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The occasional odd campaign moment and foot-in-mouth gaff didn't help – neither did Jordan getting top honors from his fellow thespians at the Actor Awards.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
There's no sight of the near-mythical paiche—an air-breathing fish native to the Amazon basin that can grow to more than 13 feet in length—nor any odd-looking mammals such as the tapir.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The drug's current FDA label covers leucovorin's use in reducing side effects of certain chemotherapy drugs and treating a rare blood disorder.—
MATTHEW PERRONE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
-
That plus-8 goal differential places the club in rare company.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 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 14 Mar. 2026.
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