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
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Recent Examples of unusual
There was no greenscreen in this movie, which is unusual.
—
Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
After being developed in a warehouse on Long Island, the project first saw the public light of day in 2022 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, a large regional theater with an innovative and highly unusual immersive theater unit, Off-Center, co-founded by Charlie Miller and Emily Tarquin.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Seeing even one oarfish near shore is rare, the description noted, and spotting two in the same place is highly unusual.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
The company is always on the lookout for both unusual and common specimens.
—Jeff Wilson, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unusual
Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
After being developed in a warehouse on Long Island, the project first saw the public light of day in 2022 at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, a large regional theater with an innovative and highly unusual immersive theater unit, Off-Center, co-founded by Charlie Miller and Emily Tarquin.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 11 Mar. 2026
Seeing even one oarfish near shore is rare, the description noted, and spotting two in the same place is highly unusual.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
The company is always on the lookout for both unusual and common specimens.
—Jeff Wilson, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unusual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unusual
Adjective
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Kiwis moving abroad is not uncommon, and more Kiwis generally are choosing to leave than before; in the year ending November 2025, almost 122,000 people emigrated, a 4% jump from the previous year and higher than a previous spike in 2012.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
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Shows that can last eight hours or more, with maybe a dozen bands playing aren’t uncommon.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Every accommodation includes distinct furnishings, finishes, and wall coverings seemingly designed around the extraordinary bed at the center of it all.—
Kathryn Romeyn,
Architectural Digest,
9 Mar. 2026
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Force majeure is a legal maneuver that can allow a company to suspend contractual obligations amid extraordinary events.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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It’s been a strange season in City Section soccer, with six schools removed from the playoffs for using ineligible players, most of whom played for club teams while also playing tor their high school team, in violation of CIF bylaw 600.—
Eric Sondheimer,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
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For now, Moltbook remains a strange but revealing glimpse into how AI agents might interact in the future.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The small, walkable village of Tubac is the ideal destination for a day trip or weekend getaway, one with dozens of unique galleries that embrace a sense of place in the Sonoran Desert.—
Molly Allen,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Beyond the star’s praise, the everyday pick boasts a versatile design and unique asymmetrical silhouette that’ll earn compliments galore.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For most of the evening, the mood is darkly funny and a little ominous, as the siblings take undermining jabs and the in-laws roll their eyes.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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Would that kind of thing have seemed funny at the time, or maybe a clever way to avoid a topic either too personal or too fraught for out-group consumption?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The royal wave The theming on board is exceptional, with restaurants, bars, beauty parlours and activities, all dusted with Disney glitter.—
Helen Wright,
TheWeek,
11 Mar. 2026
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Jessie Buckley did exceptional work in Hamnet.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Fill up on gas and peruse a staggering menu of over 700 variations of fizzy pop, including weird and wonderful flavors such as teriyaki beef jerky soda.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Otezla The only weird aspect of this one is the choice to actually use a real brand name rather than creating some other fake Skyrizi competitor.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The drug's current FDA label covers leucovorin's use in reducing side effects of certain chemotherapy drugs and treating a rare blood disorder.—
MATTHEW PERRONE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
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That plus-8 goal differential places the club in rare company.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unusual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unusual. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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