weird

adjective

ˈwird How to pronounce weird (audio)
Definition of weirdnext
1
as in bizarre
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion always has a somewhat weird opinion of what's happening in the news

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in eerie
fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic weird sounds from the woods just beyond our campsite

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3
as in magical
having seemingly supernatural qualities or powers a self-styled, contemporary witch, she sells herbal mixtures that she claims are weird potions

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4
as in unusual
noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced a weird little plant that we found growing in the garden

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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 And the micro thing that only theater people would know is our lighting design, which was considered so weird at the time. — Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Nov. 2026 This mistress was not as frightening or as weird as the adults had claimed. — Yasushi Inoue, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026 No Dumb Questions is a weekly feature in which Scientific American staff try to answer some of life’s greatest, weirdest and most enduring mysteries. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2026 That helped gets the word out to other people who are like, well, is BYU too weird or not? — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for weird
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weird
  1. bizarre
  2. eerie
  3. magical
  4. unusual
  5. strange
  6. haunting
  7. magic
  8. funny
Adjective
  • Personnel limitations may have hurt both sides of the ball, but the Ravens have made some bizarre calls on offense and defense during a four-game losing streak.
    — Mike Preston, Baltimore Sun, 8 Nov. 2026
  • In a bizarre turn of events, on Wednesday November 4th, New York City’s Queens Public Library (QPL) system, which operates 66 branches, experienced an attack on its online networks by a hacker.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of bizarre
Adjective
  • When investigators started probing the patch, a sound rang out that was both eerie and relieving — the shrill cries of a baby screaming at the top of his lungs.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Keyboardist Jason Derlatka took over for two songs — also capturing Perry’s pipes with eerie precision.
    — Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of eerie
Adjective
  • Sayers holds that mark at 22 with 14 rushing touchdowns, six receiving, one punt return and one kickoff return in that magical 1965 season.
    — Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Of course, this project is an invitation to add more magical beings to the MCU and explore the Strange-adjacent side of it.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of magical
Adjective
  • The Wiles interviews stuck out for their candor, which is unusual for a sitting White House chief of staff.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Claude can also flag unusual transactions, duplicate charges, unexpected fees and bills that have gradually increased.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of unusual
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
  • Adapting Su Tong’s 1990 novel Wives and Concubines, Zhang took a stark tale of female oppression and turned it into a haunting sonata of color, light, composition, mood, and sound, without diluting its slow-burn savagery.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
  • As a result, as the elements of Jurek’s towering and astonishing crimes begin to click together, the plot quickly shifts, leading the narrative into entirely different and ever more haunting directions.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of haunting
Adjective
  • That said, the accessory isn’t magic and still requires some preparation and practice for successful styling.
    — Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The other magic number for Illinois Republicans is 2031, when Illinois will need to adopt new political maps.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of magic
Adjective
  • Set in the future, on the coast of Kent, this unsettling yet funny sci-fi story is about a man who discovers something very strange and seemingly sentient on the beach.
    — Namara Smith, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Only, there’s nothing funny about the show Tampa Bay is watching now, one that might not include Nikita Kucherov for much longer.
    — Eduardo A. Encina, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of funny

Phrases Containing weird

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weird
weirded out
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Cite this Entry

“Weird.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weird. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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