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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 The savvy Toronto audiences enjoy their festival’s reputation as an Oscar kingmaker, too, so the idea of helping launch Club Kid to an unusual but increasingly plausible Oscar run could appeal to the voters. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026 An unusual mid-decade redistricting wave, including in California, has left 1 in 10 Americans in new congressional districts as voting-rights advocates urge people to cast ballots early, in person or by mail. — Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 In a highly unusual move, Buckingham Palace (who initially declined to comment on the book), issued a detailed statement questioning the accuracy of the claims. — Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair, 18 Sep. 2026 The movement’s tiny footprint became a catalyst for experimentation, giving Blancpain’s designers unusual freedom, resulting in Ladybird watches concealed within bracelets, cuffs, rings, and pendants. — Taylor Stoddard, Robb Report, 17 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
  • Other uncommon marine animals have wandered into California waters this year.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Daytime activity is not uncommon and does not necessarily indicate rabies.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of uncommon
Adjective
  • The Tigers repeatedly found explosive gains through the air, some created not by an extraordinary throw but by a defensive breakdown.
    — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The adventure experts at EYOS Expeditions have curated a new journey that combines a deep-water expedition with all the extraordinary wonders of Alaska’s wilderness.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of extraordinary
Adjective
  • In a small town, several dead people are brought back to life through a strange ritual involving burning duck manure.
    — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Back outside, the strangest part of the scene might have been how normal everything seemed to the people wearing crimson and blue.
    — Taylor Eldridge, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of strange
Adjective
  • Major European partners are on board as well, including Xilam, pushing French high-end, unique animation series beyond its borders.
    — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The comedic play, which is set at a silent retreat, has the unique convention of having the majority of its characters barely speak, and rather rely on their physicality.
    — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of unique
Adjective
  • On paper, the script didn’t seem that funny, and the looseness of it all — the clowning, the lack of a traditional plot structure — seemed kind of slapdash.
    — Victor Garber, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The play touches on issues of male bonding, family, reentering the dating pool, loss, grief and despair, while being very funny almost all the time.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of funny
Adjective
  • Engineered around Qualcomm’s flagship 12-core Snapdragon X Elite processor, this Surface laptop delivers exceptional processing speed with whisper-quiet thermal efficiency.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026
  • That golden brown exterior tasted exceptional, but eating it came with some hurdles.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of exceptional
Adjective
  • The resulting film is somehow weirder, wondrous, and more wistful than what even that logline suggests.
    — Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The kind of weird minutiae that only nerds pull out of old archives.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of weird
Adjective
  • At low volume, failures are rare enough that the stakes are low.
    — Shivansh Inamdar, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But in a rare moment, the bosses of Anthropic, OpenAI and xAI have come together to support the view that the development of AI models should slow down amid growing fears over the technology's capacity to cause harm.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 14 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 19 Sep. 2026.

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