eerie

adjective

ee·​rie ˈir-ē 

variants or less commonly eery

eerier; eeriest

1

: so mysterious, strange, or unexpected as to send a chill up the spine

a coyote's eerie howl

the similarities were eerie

also : seemingly not of earthly origin

the flames cast an eerie glow

2

chiefly Scotland : affected with fright : scared

eeriness

ˈir-ē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of eerie

• haunting
• creepy

Choose the Right Synonym for eerie

weird, eerie, uncanny 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

eerie suggests an uneasy or fearful consciousness that mysterious and malign powers are at work.

an eerie calm preceded the bombing raid

uncanny implies disquieting strangeness or mysteriousness.

an uncanny resemblance between total strangers

Examples of eerie in a Sentence

The flames cast an eerie glow.

a land of eerie beauty

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Amid eerie war simulations, cutthroat competitions and foreboding new technology, four students are drawn together for a mysterious mission. — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 15 Sep. 2026

Fields went to weed, and livestock wandered untended; the familiar rhythms of rural life gave way to an eerie void. — Jp Mangalindan, Time, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English (northern dialect) eri

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for eerie

• beery
• bleary
• cheery
• cirri
• dearie
• deary
• dreary
• kiri
• leary
• leery
• peery
• query

Kids Definition

eerie

adjective

ee·​rie

variants also eery

ˈi(ə)r-ē 

eerier; eeriest

: causing fear or uneasiness because of strangeness or gloominess

an eerie shadow

eerily

ˈir-ə-lē 

adverb

eeriness

ˈir-ē-nəs 

noun