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unusual

adjective

ˌən-ˈyü-zhə-wəl How to pronounce unusual (audio)
Definition of unusualnext
1
as in uncommon
noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced we found some unusual shells by the high-tide mark while combing the beach

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in extraordinary
being out of the ordinary the famously arrogant actor accepted his award with unusual grace and humility

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 unusual That was an unusual decision, and there will be some more talk about that later, potentially. — AJC.com, 25 Sep. 2026 The unusual discovery was announced by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026 The unusual sighting comes as police maintain heightened security in areas surrounding the United Nations General Assembly, which has brought world leaders and international delegations to New York City this week. — ABC News, 24 Sep. 2026 But there was also something just sort of unusual and dark and strange about it. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unusual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unusual
  1. uncommon
  2. extraordinary
  3. strange
  4. unique
  5. funny
  6. exceptional
  7. weird
  8. rare
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
  • 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
  • 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
  • But this cycle, Republicans are doing so with unique political headwinds, chief among them the war in Iran.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than excavating and extensively modifying hundreds of unique Minuteman-era facilities, the Air Force is developing a standardized, modular construction approach for the new silos.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of unique
Adjective
  • And that is a very funny, exploitable premise on its surface.
    — Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026
  • On Standby follows Sagit, a 33-year-old airport security screener whose brutally honest view of the world and chaotic personal life turn even the most ordinary interactions into painfully funny disasters.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of funny
Adjective
  • Michelin has introduced a rating of wineries where one grape denotes a very good producer; two an excellent producer, and three an exceptional producer.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2026
  • But a player who is exceptional at the sport but lacks notoriety is a different story.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of exceptional
Adjective
  • Beck was playing a shabby, malnourished musician living in a shack who acts as an emissary of a weird celebrity cult.
    — Josephine Reisman, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
  • But, in a weird sort of way, that approach advances the point critics have about Williams.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of weird
Adjective
  • Specifically, a northern white rhinoceros, one of the rarest animals in the world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • According to immigration lawyers and advocates, third-country removals are rare, though not new.
    — Laura Romero, ABC News, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of rare

Browse Nearby Words

unused
unusual
unusually
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Cite this Entry

“Unusual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unusual. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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