UNCANNY Synonyms: 167 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

uncanny

adjective

ˌən-ˈka-nē

Definition of uncanny

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in eerie

fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic uncanny and unexpected shadows along the mountainsides

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 uncanny But bartender and manager Ashley Gilliford said the energy around the dagger has made for some uncanny situations at the bar. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 Hundreds of thousands of men and women have reported uncanny or manic experiences with their bots. — Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026 People appearing in these simulations should also look less uncanny, with more natural movement and responses to the changing environment. — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026 The man does seem to have an uncanny ability to pick projects that will have a long shelf life — everything from Up in Smoke and Harold and Maude to Singles, Steel Magnolias, Poison Ivy, and Contact. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for uncanny

Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncanny

Adjective

The series pairs its lavish costumes and sets with visual effects to build its fantasy world, including Queen, a mysterious bird with whom Navier forms a bond.

— Ophélie Surcouf, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
Away from the elections, the briefing covers a new boom in fossil fuels driven by Big Tech and the latest research on the mysterious rise of colorectal cancer among young people.

— Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of mysterious

Adjective

How Eclipse Images Sparked a Scientific Partnership When Druckmüller developed the film from his 1999 eclipse expedition, the photographs didn’t do justice to the event’s eerie beauty.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026
The six-episode thriller paints an eerie image of small-town life in Newfoundland, and viewers are intrigued by the mystique of the striking Canadian backdrop.

— Rachel Chang, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of eerie

Adjective

Then, on October 26, a member of Parliament—who happened to be the brother-in-law of one of the conspirators—received a cryptic, anonymous letter.

— Lucia Barnum, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Oct. 2026
The news arrives after a cryptic graphic teasing the tour was posted on Instagram, featuring imagery from The Great Divide.

— Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of cryptic

Adjective

Senior backup quarterback Max Cutforth entered the game in Madsen’s absence and led the Broncos on a miraculous, back-and-forth comeback.

— Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 1 Nov. 2026
Jones later threw an interception in the end zone from the Georgia 3, ending any chance for a miraculous comeback with five minutes to go in the third.

— Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of miraculous

Adjective

Adapting Su Tong’s 1990 novel Wives and Concubines, Zhang took a stark tale of female oppression and turned it into a haunting sonata of color, light, composition, mood, and sound, without diluting its slow-burn savagery.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
As a result, as the elements of Jurek’s towering and astonishing crimes begin to click together, the plot quickly shifts, leading the narrative into entirely different and ever more haunting directions.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of haunting

Adjective

What’s more, even without steering, the bots were prone to mystic ruminations.

— Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Take The Night Veils, for example, which seeks to capture the spirit of the night through fragrances that can best be described as primal and mystic.

— Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of mystic

Adjective

Sayers holds that mark at 22 with 14 rushing touchdowns, six receiving, one punt return and one kickoff return in that magical 1965 season.

— Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2026
Of course, this project is an invitation to add more magical beings to the MCU and explore the Strange-adjacent side of it.

— Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of magical

Browse Nearby Words

uncanniness

uncanny

uncaring

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“Uncanny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncanny. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of uncanny

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