PECULIAR Synonyms: 197 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'peculiar' distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of peculiar are eccentric , erratic , odd , outlandish , quaint , singular , strange , and unique . While all these words mean "departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected," peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness. // the peculiar status of America's first lady

Q: In what contexts can 'eccentric' take the place of 'peculiar'?

While in some cases nearly identical to peculiar , eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior. // the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers

Q: When could 'erratic' be used to replace 'peculiar'?

The words erratic and peculiar are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating. // a friend's suddenly erratic behavior

Q: When is 'odd' a more appropriate choice than 'peculiar'?

The synonyms odd and peculiar are sometimes interchangeable, but odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected. // an odd sense of humor

Q: When would 'outlandish' be a good substitute for 'peculiar'?

The meanings of outlandish and peculiar largely overlap; however, outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric. // outlandish fashions of the time

Q: When is it sensible to use 'quaint' instead of 'peculiar'?

Although the words quaint and peculiar have much in common, quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness. // a quaint fishing village

Q: Where would 'singular' be a reasonable alternative to 'peculiar'?

The words singular and peculiar can be used in similar contexts, but singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness. // a singular feeling of impending disaster

Q: When can 'strange' be used instead of 'peculiar'?

In some situations, the words strange and peculiar are roughly equivalent. However, strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable. // a journey filled with strange sights

Q: When might 'unique' be a better fit than 'peculiar'?

While the synonyms unique and peculiar are close in meaning, unique implies singularity and the fact of being without a known parallel. // a career unique in the annals of science

peculiar

adjective

pi-ˈkyül-yər

Definition of peculiar

as in unusual

being out of the ordinary a writer with a peculiar talent for capturing the feel of everyday conversation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in strange

different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion a peculiar and catlike way of walking

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as in uncommon

noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced a peculiar response to a polite query about his health

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as in personal

of, relating to, or belonging to a single person his peculiar way of talking

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as in characteristic

serving to identify as belonging to an individual or group the koala is peculiar to Australia

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as in specific

of a particular or exact sort a matter of peculiar interest to us

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word peculiar distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of peculiar are eccentric, erratic, odd, outlandish, quaint, singular, strange, and unique. While all these words mean "departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected," peculiar implies a marked distinctiveness.

the peculiar status of America's first lady

In what contexts can eccentric take the place of peculiar?

While in some cases nearly identical to peculiar, eccentric suggests a wide divergence from the usual or normal especially in behavior.

the eccentric eating habits of preschoolers

When could erratic be used to replace peculiar?

The words erratic and peculiar are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, erratic stresses a capricious and unpredictable wandering or deviating.

a friend's suddenly erratic behavior

When is odd a more appropriate choice than peculiar?

The synonyms odd and peculiar are sometimes interchangeable, but odd applies to a departure from the regular or expected.

an odd sense of humor

When would outlandish be a good substitute for peculiar?

The meanings of outlandish and peculiar largely overlap; however, outlandish applies to what is uncouth, bizarre, or barbaric.

outlandish fashions of the time

When is it sensible to use quaint instead of peculiar?

Although the words quaint and peculiar have much in common, quaint suggests an old-fashioned but pleasant oddness.

a quaint fishing village

Where would singular be a reasonable alternative to peculiar?

The words singular and peculiar can be used in similar contexts, but singular suggests individuality or puzzling strangeness.

a singular feeling of impending disaster

When can strange be used instead of peculiar?

In some situations, the words strange and peculiar are roughly equivalent. However, strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable.

a journey filled with strange sights

When might unique be a better fit than peculiar?

While the synonyms unique and peculiar are close in meaning, 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 peculiar Mandel’s work also informed a 2012 New York Times Magazine column on how the art market thrives on inequality, which argued that fine art belongs less to the broader global economy than to the peculiar economy of the very rich. — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 The past and present compete for attention without consistently making each other more interesting, and the escape-room mechanics suffer from a peculiar combination of overexplanation and confusion. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026 His Lost Lautner is a cabinet of curiosities reflecting his and Bauwens’s hyper-peculiar interests. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026 Over to the right, where the half-dozen tech leaders had signed on, things looked considerably more chaotic and peculiar. — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for peculiar

Recent Examples of Synonyms for peculiar

Adjective

The outbreak was first detected in Mongbwalu, a gold-mining town of around 130,000 people in Ituri province in northeastern Congo, after the WHO was alerted on May 5 about an unusual cluster of illness and deaths.

— Anthony W. Gambino, Time, 13 Nov. 2026
Rather than simply hiring more YouTubers or adapting unusual internet properties, is the real lesson to take chances on newer, original voices, regardless of platform or genre?

— Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of unusual

Adjective

Cristin Tierney Gallery Maureen O’Leary’s paintings at Cristin Tierney are wonderfully strange.

— Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 13 Nov. 2026
The extremes of the moral universe have always been duking it out down there, which makes Mississippi not strange or anomalous, but illustrative.

— Claire Howorth, Vanity Fair, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of strange

Adjective

Narcissists, not uncommon in pop circles, have no such hangups.

— Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Nov. 2026
But the Jets’ other three opponents (Tennessee, Cleveland and Arizona) have a 9-17 record, compared with 15-10 for the Dolphins’ uncommon opponents (Cincinnati, San Francisco, Indianapolis).

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of uncommon

Adjective

Nvidia’s employee code of conduct addresses potential conflicts involving personal relationships.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026
Fitness classes, personal training sessions, and spa treatments can be booked with the hotel concierge team.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of personal

Adjective

Pritam never forgot the remark and, with characteristic wit, turned it into the title of her autobiography.

— Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Nov. 2026
The former contributes a subtle wheat flavor along with a little Neapolitan-style chew, while the latter lends the crust its characteristic crunch.

— Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of characteristic

Adjective

But all of them headed 25 miles north to Criteria, too, to capture specific sounds.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 13 Nov. 2026
In a 7-6 vote, the City Council passed a compromise policy that would create two downtown districts and give council members the opportunity to allow or deny development of specific data centers.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of specific

Adjective

And that's really all down to finding actors who in this extraordinary ensemble have a really terrific sense of humor.

— Kara Warner, Vanity Fair, 14 Nov. 2026
The award recognizes her extraordinary contributions to advancing civil rights, civil liberties and social justice through storytelling.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 13 Nov. 2026

Definition of extraordinary

Adjective

Personnel limitations may have hurt both sides of the ball, but the Ravens have made some bizarre calls on offense and defense during a four-game losing streak.

— Mike Preston, Baltimore Sun, 8 Nov. 2026
In a bizarre turn of events, on Wednesday November 4th, New York City’s Queens Public Library (QPL) system, which operates 66 branches, experienced an attack on its online networks by a hacker.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of bizarre

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“Peculiar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peculiar. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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