1
as in mysterious
being beyond one's powers to know, understand, or explain
a number of uncanny parallels in the lives of the twins who had been separated at birth
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in superhuman
being so extraordinary or abnormal as to suggest powers which violate the laws of nature
an uncanny gift for knowing when someone, no matter how distant, needed help
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in eerie
fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic
uncanny and unexpected shadows along the mountainsides
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of uncanny
With delicate, floral notes of pink peony and a bright and warming burst of solar woods, Nest Santa Barbara Strawberry Perfume Oil has an uncanny knack for brightening any cold and dreary day.
—
Jenny Berg, Allure, 3 Mar. 2025
The disruptions in flow call to mind the format of Be My Guest With Ina Garten, in which Ina both preps for a guest as well as cooks with them, but Meghan’s uncanny flashbacks somehow further untether the show from the reality of her not-kitchen.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
Reality Blues wades into the mysteries of our uncanny world, trying to catch a vibe.
—Meaghan Garvey, Pitchfork, 6 Mar. 2025
Childhood under threat As a child worker, Miss Huang might seem like an uncanny ghost of a bygone era of childhood.
—Anna Mae Duane, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncanny
Jenny Berg, Allure, 3 Mar. 2025
The disruptions in flow call to mind the format of Be My Guest With Ina Garten, in which Ina both preps for a guest as well as cooks with them, but Meghan’s uncanny flashbacks somehow further untether the show from the reality of her not-kitchen.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 7 Mar. 2025
Reality Blues wades into the mysteries of our uncanny world, trying to catch a vibe.
—Meaghan Garvey, Pitchfork, 6 Mar. 2025
Childhood under threat As a child worker, Miss Huang might seem like an uncanny ghost of a bygone era of childhood.
—Anna Mae Duane, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uncanny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uncanny
Adjective
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After his first game since Feb. 26, Porziņģis detailed his long journey back from a mysterious illness.—
Jay King,
The Athletic,
16 Mar. 2025
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Everyone is a suspect, and there’s a lot of buildup to finding out what happened at a fateful St. Patrick’s Day party 15 years prior — especially when Chelsea (Ilana Glazer) makes a mysterious reference to an incident that made the entire school ostracize her.—
Marianne Eloise,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Kloss possessed a superhuman talent for observation.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
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In any previous year, such speed would be considered superhuman, but somehow that kind of work ethic doesn’t seem to register anymore in the accelerated world of today.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Following Lottie’s lead, all the girls begin to chant and scream and dance around the fire, with the iconic eerie vocal chanting from the score joining in.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
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This phenomenon, known as Rayleigh scattering, creates the same effect that makes sunrises and sunsets so vivid, and paints the moon in an eerie, red glow.—
Michael D'Estries,
Travel + Leisure,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Bachelor alum took to social media on Wednesday, March 19, with a cryptic message seemingly responding to her ex-boyfriend Brendan Morais’ hard launch with his new girlfriend Serene Russell.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
21 Mar. 2025
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The episode ends with a cryptic phone call to Luca from a family member, hinting at their ties to the resort.—
Martine Paris,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Like a goalkeeper, who can be 40 minutes without touching the ball and suddenly has to make an almost miraculous intervention.—
Sam Lee,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
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And not just the miraculous match-up of Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as Jacob and Cara Dutton, struggling to hold onto their Montana ranch until their troubled He-Man of a nephew Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) can come home to help, though that figures heavily.—
Matt Brennan,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Krauss’s ethereal voice is as haunting as ever on this mournful ballad, where doleful lyrics look back on a time marked by regret and deceit, and get elevated by the elegant interplay between Krauss’ voice and Jerry Douglas’s soul-piercing steel guitar.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
3 Feb. 2025
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Set to the same eerily catchy tune by composer Theodore Shapiro, the Season 2 incarnation of the credits — seen for the first time in Episode 2, now streaming — are even more haunting, diving into the surreal world of Mark’s brain and introducing other characters and landscapes.—
Esther Zuckerman,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Founded on the ethos of art as a form of mystic healing, the label reimagines the family heirloom—and invites its patrons to examine their relationship with objects.—
Nia Shumake,
Essence,
3 Feb. 2025
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Healy Lake members have long considered their dogs to be mystic companions, according to Combs.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Donaldson’s magical moment will go down as an instant classic in Michigan lore.—
Michael Marot,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2025
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The night of her Broadway debut was nothing short of magical.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Uncanny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uncanny. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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