Synonyms of uncanny

uncanny

adjective

ˌən-ˈka-nē 

1

as in mysterious

being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain

a number of uncanny parallels in the lives of the twins who had been separated at birth

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mysterious
• cryptic
• mystic
• enigmatic
• obscure
• unexplainable
• deep
• dark
• inscrutable
• ambiguous
• murky
• mystical
• vague
• occult
• arcane
• impenetrable
• confusing
• metaphysical
• inexplicable
• fuzzy
• esoteric
• incomprehensible
• supernatural
• shadowy
• unfathomable
• imponderable
• unintelligible
• unaccountable
• unknowable
• darkling
• equivocal
• puzzling
• baffling
• perplexing
• unanswerable
• numinous
• unsearchable
• confounding
• recondite
• disorienting
• abstruse
• bewildering
• mystifying
• befuddling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• understandable
• intelligible
• apparent
• obvious
• evident
• unmistakable
• clear
• manifest
• palpable
• unequivocal
• fathomable
• unambiguous
• plain
• straightforward
• transparent
• perspicuous
• open-and-shut
• patent

2

as in superhuman

being so extraordinary or abnormal as to suggest powers which violate the laws of nature

an uncanny gift for knowing when someone, no matter how distant, needed help

Synonyms & Similar Words

• superhuman
• miraculous
• magical
• remarkable
• strange
• unique
• supernatural
• phenomenal
• transcendental
• bizarre
• eerie
• outstanding
• peculiar
• unearthly
• preternatural
• transcendent
• supernormal
• curious
• unusual
• marvelous
• rare
• uncommon
• weird
• grotesque
• unnatural
• puzzling
• singular
• funny
• outrageous
• baffling
• quirky
• perplexing
• striking
• freakish
• quaint
• idiosyncratic
• outlandish
• shocking
• wacky
• fantastic
• confounding
• prodigious
• kinky
• atypical
• out-of-the-way
• outré
• queer
• screwy
• unconventional
• notable
• mystifying
• unwonted
• bewildering
• aberrant
• noticeable
• far-out
• conspicuous
• way-out
• salient
• wild
• unorthodox
• freak
• prominent
• queerish
• flaky
• uncustomary

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ordinary
• usual
• typical
• average
• commonplace
• prosaic
• everyday
• familiar
• routine
• garden
• unremarkable
• predictable
• unexceptional
• common
• expected
• frequent
• workaday
• customary
• regular
• run-of-the-mill
• habitual
• wonted

3

as in eerie

fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic

uncanny and unexpected shadows along the mountainsides

Synonyms & Similar Words

• eerie
• haunting
• creepy
• weird
• spooky
• unearthly
• bizarre
• unusual
• mysterious
• spectral
• terrifying
• spookish
• uncommon
• ghostly
• odd
• curious
• peculiar
• ghoulish
• quirky
• ghastly
• ghostlike
• quaint
• outlandish
• supernatural
• enigmatic
• metaphysical
• outré
• puzzling
• horrible
• preternatural
• terrible
• horrifying
• inscrutable
• unaccustomed
• queerish
• fearsome
• dreadful

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• common
• normal
• ordinary
• usual
• typical
• commonplace
• everyday
• natural
• routine
• prosaic
• unremarkable
• familiar
• unexceptional
• predictable
• expected

Synonym Chooser

How is the word uncanny distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words eerie and weird are common synonyms of uncanny. While all three words mean "mysteriously strange or fantastic," uncanny implies disquieting strangeness or mysteriousness.

an uncanny resemblance between total strangers

In what contexts can eerie take the place of uncanny?

The words eerie and uncanny are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, eerie suggests an uneasy or fearful consciousness that mysterious and malign powers are at work.

an eerie calm preceded the bombing raid

When would weird be a good substitute for uncanny?

Although the words weird and uncanny have much in common, weird may imply an unearthly or supernatural strangeness or it may stress peculiarity or oddness.

weird creatures from another world

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of uncanny

These particles efficiently scatter the blue and green light while letting red and orange wavelengths pass through, creating the uncanny feeling of an all-day sunset. — Michael A. Robinson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026

How does the uncanny persist in our culture today, if at all? — Geoffrey O’Brien, The New York Review of Books, 22 Aug. 2026

From production design and cinematography to the evolution of genre conventions, her work often reflects a deep appreciation for the early half of last century — and an uncanny ability to trace its fingerprints across the movies being made today. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 21 Aug. 2026

Robert Rodriguez While both Lam and Rodriguez’s careers started decades apart, there are uncanny matches between their paths. — Rebecca Suhrawardi, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026

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