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 If the cost of finishing this frenetic playoff push is peculiar defensive alignments, the Astros will pay it. — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 This creates a peculiar danger for people at the top of organizations. — Julio Ottino, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026 The marquee sign out front—where the message changes regularly but always reflects the bar’s peculiar sense of humor—has also been known to ruffle a few feathers. — Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2026 Winds may not be quite as strong near Sacramento in the evening as the Delta breeze counteracts some of the north winds — a peculiar setup — but could still be gusty in sudden bursts. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for peculiar

Recent Examples of Synonyms for peculiar

Adjective

Voters are deeply concerned about income disparity but also skeptical about the unusual approach of the billionaire tax.

— Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
The incident adds an unusual detail to the growing record of autonomous AI behavior.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of unusual

Adjective

The reunion becomes even stranger when Constance prepares for a dark holiday celebration, with Kai Anderson (Evan Peters) from Cult helping decorate a black Christmas tree topped with a pentagram.

— Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026
The public wiki case offers a particularly strange example of the problem.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of strange

Adjective

Suicide, unfortunately, is not uncommon among the young, and in fact, several sources have noted a recent rash of these tragedies in the Aurora community.

— Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
Bell said doctors told him that those symptoms are not uncommon for athletes who have returned from ACL injuries.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of uncommon

Adjective

The announcements came at Meta Connect 2026 as the company continues shifting its wearable strategy toward glasses and its personal AI agent, Muse.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
Complimentary fitness classes, one-on-one personal training, nutrition consults, Pilates, breathing classes, and flow yoga are among many other options.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of personal

Adjective

Other analyses suggest about 40 percent of amateur athletes playing contact sports show brain changes that are characteristic of CTE, too.

— Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
Patina, a thin surface layer that develops due to age, wear, or chemical reaction, is another characteristic to look for when identifying artwork age.

— Nicole Letts, Southern Living, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of characteristic

Adjective

Each implant can be programmed to recognize pulses with specific voltages and durations, allowing the network to selectively activate individual devices.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
The category rankings offer a more specific read on what buyers want.

— Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of specific

Adjective

Movies bring audiences across the country the unique magic of sitting with their neighbors to see extraordinary stories told on the big screen at their local cinema.

— Paul Gunsky, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026
Speed At All Costs The cars of the early 1990s were extraordinary machines, bristling with active suspension and aerodynamic wizardry.

— Jessica Vitiritti, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of extraordinary

Adjective

Appropriated from a John Cale album, the title accurately describes scenes of bloodletting committed by bizarre, scenery-chewing yakuza members, and the energy hovers somewhere around a bloodier-than-baseline Takashi Miike movie from the mid-2000s.

— Vadim Rizov, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026
Her family and church life remained opaque, but her bizarre comedic timing and magnetic onscreen presence turned her into everyone’s favorite reality-TV anti-hero.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of bizarre

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“Peculiar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peculiar. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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