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

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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 might appear unusual in a world where most people maintain several online accounts, yet choosing not to use social platforms says little about someone’s ability to repay a loan. — Artem Lalaiants, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026 Those payments are not unusual for a company trying to emerge from bankruptcy. — Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026 Florida carried out a record-tying 19th execution of the year in an unusual instance of three states administering the death penalty on the same day. — David Fischer, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2026 While the Sullivan saga hogged national headlines, Alaska’s unusual electoral system itself was also on the ballot, after critics mounted a campaign to kill it. — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 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
  • The rising cost of veterinary care is pushing more Americans to buy pet insurance, as advances in animal medicine give owners access to treatments that were uncommon or unavailable a decade ago.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 5 Nov. 2026
  • However, what Patterson says was once uncommon has become a regular occurrence when the Idaho pediatrician is working in a newborn nursery in the southwest region of the state.
    — Dr. Jade Cobern, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of uncommon
Adjective
  • The extraordinary beginnings of Stallone’s breakout film were explained in a New York Times interview soon after Rocky‘s release.
    — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Given the extraordinary circumstances around this review, going anywhere else for photos felt almost dishonest.
    — Kevin Fanady, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of extraordinary
Adjective
  • Talk about strange beginnings at Friday’s City Section Division I football playoff opener between Sun Valley Poly and host Marshall.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • And having one of those is as strange and terrifying as anything else in the universe.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of strange
Adjective
  • Aleksandra Karapetrova, an alpine enthusiast and environmental scientist at the University of California, Riverside, used her unique skill set to find that microplastics are present in remote Sierra Nevada mountain snow reachable only on skis.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Air ambulance services, though, come with unique challenges, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
    — Elaine Appleton-Grant, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of unique
Adjective
  • Martin McDonagh’s latest comic provocation takes place on Easter Island and in 1970s Chile, where a ferociously funny John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell aim to upend the rule of law.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Sian is so funny and fun, and so is Mark, and so is Dylan [O’Brien].
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of funny
Adjective
  • While Shelby was clearly an exceptional candidate, his success was largely predicated on your failures.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Why the semiconductor industry is interested in diamond One of diamond’s most attractive properties is its exceptional thermal conductivity.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of exceptional
Adjective
  • This is a deeply weird album, somehow both bombastic and elusive.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Texas’ backhanded bid to cheat by squishing Democratic-leaning voters into weird districts?
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of weird
Adjective
  • The other, in Washington state, died in November 2025 from a rarer version called H5N5.
    — Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Both were unbelievably tender and seared to a perfect medium-rare.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of rare

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Cite this Entry

“Unusual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unusual. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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