as in eccentric
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion
an actor known more for his outré offscreen antics than for his on-screen performances
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Recent Examples of outré
In adolescence, Ogden found a new, more outre guiding star.
—
Bill Donahue, Outside, 14 Feb. 2026
Many an outre fashion statement was photographed and breathlessly described at the Tonys.
—Chris Jones, chicagotribune.com, 12 June 2019
Kelela also has an ear for blending outre electronic instrumentation that seems to swoon under her powerful voice.
—Leor Galil, Chicago Reader, 27 Oct. 2017
Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Tyrod Taylor has a penchant for sartorially astute three-piece suits, while the Denver Broncos’ outside linebacker Von Miller takes a more outre approach with his big ol’ Burt Reynolds glasses and cowboy hats.
—Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, 24 Oct. 2017
Bill Donahue, Outside, 14 Feb. 2026
Many an outre fashion statement was photographed and breathlessly described at the Tonys.
—Chris Jones, chicagotribune.com, 12 June 2019
Kelela also has an ear for blending outre electronic instrumentation that seems to swoon under her powerful voice.
—Leor Galil, Chicago Reader, 27 Oct. 2017
Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Tyrod Taylor has a penchant for sartorially astute three-piece suits, while the Denver Broncos’ outside linebacker Von Miller takes a more outre approach with his big ol’ Burt Reynolds glasses and cowboy hats.
—Jacob Gallagher, WSJ, 24 Oct. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for outré
Adjective
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Shinichi Atobe’s arresting house and techno beams with inimitable candor, built from bright, phlegmatic loops that run on an eccentric internal logic.—
Maxie Younger,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
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The eccentric San Francisco Easter tradition is a daring descent of one of the city’s steepest and curviest roads with a pack of people riding Big Wheels.—
Anne Schrager,
San Francisco Chronicle,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The goggles, the GPS address and the laptop — all of it was strong evidence supporting the bizarre story Denise and Aaron had been telling all along.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
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His YouTube page, once an online venue for his songs, was more recently dedicated to paranoid rants about his family members, some centering on his relationship with his grandfather, and others where Valdez displayed bizarre behavior like imitating Nazi soldiers.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Why the Vaping Squirrels Trend Is Dangerous The viral clips might look funny, but the reality is far less cute.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
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The explanation is kind of funny, but also very much a seasonal sign of renewal on the barrier islands.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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While Boston shot 5-for-20 in the period, Atlanta went 13-for-19, including the second made three of the night from the typically erratic Dyson Daniels.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
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Two weeks later, the erratic nature of the Wild’s play and the outcomes haven’t changed.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The strange circumstances of his last weeks have the quality of a nightmare from which the Samsas awake.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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But his arrest and conviction in 2024 had been preceded a year earlier by a strange story that appeared in the press and then disappeared almost as quickly.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Outré.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/outr%C3%A9. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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