Definition of weirdnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word weird distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words eerie and uncanny are common synonyms of weird. While all three words mean "mysteriously strange or fantastic," weird may imply an unearthly or supernatural strangeness or it may stress peculiarity or oddness.

weird creatures from another world

When would eerie be a good substitute for weird?

While in some cases nearly identical to weird, eerie suggests an uneasy or fearful consciousness that mysterious and malign powers are at work.

an eerie calm preceded the bombing raid

When might uncanny be a better fit than weird?

The meanings of uncanny and weird largely overlap; however, uncanny implies disquieting strangeness or mysteriousness.

an uncanny resemblance between total strangers

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 weird But then Sarkisian followed up his halftime non-interview with a weird interaction with Holly Rowe, taking some attention off what his team just did. Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 These generated millions of views, and some of them got really weird; Chism and his kids dressed like babies, or pretended to eat cat food off pizza. Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026 Carolina’s previous worst was 52, and this one was so weird in part because of who was making the big mistakes. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 13 Sep. 2026 Everyone in town thinks the aunts are weird as hell, but who cares? Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for weird
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weird
Adjective
  • The bizarre explanation brought an end to an episode that generated widespread attention online after Pierre initially accused the courier of stealing the order.
    Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • An exhausting, head-spinning and often downright silly offseason is officially over after college football really kicked off on Thursday (after the always bizarre Week 0 last weekend).
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • An eerie silence, empty halls and security guards marked the end, at least for now, of a once-vibrant public space.
    Grey Battle, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Below, explore 11 cities reclaimed by nature and the eerie beauty left behind when the earth reclaims what was only momentarily ours.
    Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 15 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Love was in the air, the city was magical, and every detail was simply unforgettable!
    Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Production designer Henry Dunn and costume designer Elisabeth Vastola make UCLA feel like a real-life social ecosystem rather than a generic backdrop, while still allowing every number to erupt into its own magical world of performance.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The move is unusual due to the more than six-month-long conflict between Iran and the United States and no sign that agreements to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or return to talks on Iran's nuclear program are close.
    September 18, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The team also needed to confirm that the unusual structures were genuine electron behavior rather than artifacts created by the microscope.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
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
Adjective
  • These numbers are especially haunting because the movement was never only about women.
    Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • However, the area is not going to have a haunting vibe, per Spyropoulos.
    Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The magic number to clinch the NL Central is down to two, either wins by Milwaukee or losses from Chicago, or both.
    Johnny Flores Jr, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Their win over the Reds (70-80) trimmed that magic number to three.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
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

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Cite this Entry

“Weird.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weird. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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