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 The bodies start to stack up, and the duo is bonded by trauma in some weird ways. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026 So these people are weird, and weird in ways that are worrying, but also very interesting. — Nilay Patel, The Verge, 26 Oct. 2026 In weirder cases, the name remains, but the body style, powertrain or both are vastly different. — Matt Degen, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026 And there’s this sort of strange, ghostly expectancy, which is quite weird, a mixture of apprehension and fear. — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for weird
Recent Examples of Synonyms for weird
Adjective
  • The appeal of Bleak House, for instance, is bound up in its bad actors and bizarre names, less so the action.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The Seaside Police Department received the tip about Bumper’s bizarre breakfast invoice in August.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • But some of Georgia’s eeriest stories don’t require special effects.
    — Eli Goodstein, AJC.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The track begins with an eerie, atmospheric guitar clang, but Gosling and his bandmate, Zach Shields, quickly pick up the pace, finding a sweet spot between unvarnished post-punk production and arena-sized emotions.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Something about the snow taking over the grounds sounds magical.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Serene predictions are a mug’s game, foolish in the extreme, whether they are based on polls or magical thinking.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The order of events in the Weeks recusal was somewhat unusual.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Scheels argued this year that the Ada County Assessor’s Office had overvalued its unusual building.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 30 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Alexi’s script gets to the heart of the strange, necessary bonds between humans and animals.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Something in the movement of his hands, too fast, too smooth, too precise, and something in the play of the light and shadow across his knuckles, reveals that something strange is at work.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • What unfolds is a heartbreaking, at times haunting story about a little boy who strove to become a legend, and the woman who understood his manic, at times reckless drive.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
  • For decades, the 1934 photograph of the Loch Ness Monster was a haunting image of a lost world.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Touches of surrealism—or even magic—in author-illustrator Jimmy Liao’s detailed artwork add intriguing layers to the story.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Two kids chase a magic key to prevent their friend, who uses a wheelchair, from being forced out due to broken elevators.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • Divorced from the context of a map, Texas' congressional districts might just look like a collection of funny shapes.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • China did not find anything funny about the French star laughing at a meme of Mao, the communist dictator whose regime resulted in tens of millions of deaths.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Weird.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/weird. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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