Definition of bizarrenext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word bizarre different from other adjectives like it?

The words fantastic and grotesque are common synonyms of bizarre. While all three words mean "conceived, made, or carried out without adherence to truth or reality," bizarre applies to the sensationally strange and implies violence of contrast or incongruity of combination.

a bizarre medieval castle in the heart of a modern city

When can fantastic be used instead of bizarre?

While the synonyms fantastic and bizarre are close in meaning, fantastic may connote extravagance in conception or ingenuity of decorative invention.

dreamed up fantastic rumors

When might grotesque be a better fit than bizarre?

Although the words grotesque and bizarre have much in common, grotesque may apply to what is conventionally ugly but artistically effective or it may connote ludicrous awkwardness or incongruity often with sinister or tragic overtones.

grotesque statues on the cathedral
though grieving, she made a grotesque attempt at a smile

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 bizarre Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. John Wenzel, Denver Post, 30 Apr. 2026 The bizarre directive was flagged in a tweet that drew attention from other AI enthusiasts. Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 Apr. 2026 The fate of Runway now in the hands of Elias Clark scion Jay and his team of cutthroat management consultants, Andy, seeking a lifeline, reaches out to Dior honcho Emily and her bizarre tech billionaire biohacker boyfriend Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux). Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 30 Apr. 2026 The games in the parlor room of the inn are even more bizarre. Jen Chaney, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bizarre
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bizarre
Adjective
  • Still absurd to the average person, but a far cry from what Biles paid.
    Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026
  • As paranoia festers and absurd regulations tighten their grip, suspicion replaces love, and truth itself begins to warp.
    Alex Ritman, Variety, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The truck had been at the head of a column of seven rescue vehicles, all of which had received clearance from the tower to cross Runway 4 at Taxiway D and head toward a United Airlines flight that was evacuating due to a strange odor onboard.
    Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 28 Apr. 2026
  • On World Rhythms, Lockwood trusts the listener to hear the arc of its noises, to trace their emergence and disappearance, their strange, seductive confluence.
    Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Each progressive Trolls movie has gotten more and more insane.
    Marah Eakin, Vulture, 7 May 2026
  • To have air traffic controllers or the Transportation Security Administration to go without pay is insane and prejudicial to public safety.
    Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Adjective
  • Morgan, as Dinkins, is a colleague and eventually friend of a dweeby little documentarian played by Daniel Radcliffe, who starts out as the straight man and then inexorably becomes just as weird as everyone else in this show.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 May 2026
  • Well, that’s always been weird to me.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 May 2026
Adjective
  • When a Republican says something foolish, network anchors react like a gator just crawled into the studio wearing a MAGA hat.
    Larry Clifton, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
  • If Florida is worried about China’s rise, dismantling educational and cultural exchanges is a foolish response.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • With it, this is just kind of an odd, unfortunate (especially for the bird) story.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Business major Andrea Lui found the chatbot’s voice to be surprisingly human, but the conversation felt choppy with odd pauses.
    Jocelyn Gecker, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Washington is waking up to what still feels to those of us who are in attendance or even those watching on live television to be an unreal experience.
    CBS News, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Sadiq is an unreal athlete, and will instantly become an irreplaceable piece of New York’s offense.
    Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • This leads us on an intimate, and at times funny, journey of self-discovery and missteps told in five chapters over the course of a critical year in Robin’s life.
    Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 May 2026
  • And there are some funny moments along the way, such as a scene in which Miranda tries to hang up her coat, having been told to stop throwing it at her assistants.
    The Week UK, TheWeek, 7 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bizarre.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bizarre. Accessed 8 May. 2026.

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