1
as in uncommon
noticeably different from what is generally found or experienced
we found some unusual shells by the high-tide mark while combing the beach
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in extraordinary
being out of the ordinary
the famously arrogant actor accepted his award with unusual grace and humility
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 unusual
This particular chunk of space rock, known as NWA 12774, preserves an unusual chemical signature that suggests some of the solar system's earliest worlds developed differently from other rocky planets, researchers say.
—
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 June 2026
The deck is also home to a rooftop area—unusual in a yacht in this category—that acts as an owner’s haven, while a dining room is sat within a veranda with prime views of the sea.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 June 2026
For one, null results—in this case, findings that are not unusual or revelatory—are still useful.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 4 June 2026
Your app may also be on the alert for unusual activity and notify you of any login attempts from new locations or devices.
—Rebecca Safier, USA Today, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unusual
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 4 June 2026
The deck is also home to a rooftop area—unusual in a yacht in this category—that acts as an owner’s haven, while a dining room is sat within a veranda with prime views of the sea.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 June 2026
For one, null results—in this case, findings that are not unusual or revelatory—are still useful.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 4 June 2026
Your app may also be on the alert for unusual activity and notify you of any login attempts from new locations or devices.
—Rebecca Safier, USA Today, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for unusual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unusual
Adjective
-
What customers increasingly dislike, Parmelee said, are screens that put pressure on customers to tip in situations in which gratuities were once optional or uncommon.—
Peter Burke,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
-
When questioning is uncommon, early warnings are easy to overlook.—
Nisha Narayanan,
STAT,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
Dylan’s custom Fender Stratocaster reflects both his extraordinary creativity and the pioneering spirit of the American guitar maker.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
1 June 2026
-
Are Henry James’s heroines, surely among the most extraordinary female characters in literary history, really one-dimensional idols?—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
The author could herself be considered predatorial, having written her own children in as the books’ protagonists, saddling them with a strange kind of fame.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
This strange occurrence echoes what happened at the top of the dot-com bubble 26 years ago.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
While every ceremonial facilitator has their own unique way of preparing ayahuasca, most often two plants are brewed together (caapi vine and chacruna leaves) to create the highly powerful, transportive substance that can be used to treat physical and mental ailments.—
Michaela Trimble,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Like, what a unique experience.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Some of these flourishes are jarringly funny, others merely stop the film momentarily in its tracks.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
5 June 2026
-
People being all excited to be in an alliance that doesn't actually exist shouldn't be funny.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Where on one hand, the likes of Stark have enjoyed exceptional sales numbers, LiveWire has been struggling quite a bit.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 03,
New Atlas,
3 June 2026
-
Things do not go down without a hitch, despite Hollis’s exceptional menu planning and hosting abilities.—
Alessandra Codinha,
InStyle,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The movie goes from this weird, seedy love motel to the industrial backwaters, and these long walks and talks down empty streets.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
1 June 2026
-
The show hinges on finding an ordinary person who, plunged into a group of people he’s never met before, doesn’t reject them as weird or objectionable but embraces them at some basic human level.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
For those staying at Elang Private Residence, meals can be directed by the guests or left to the chef, serving up, say, lamb satay on sugarcane skewers, seafood with mango sambal, slices of rare beef with tiny pots of rendang sauce.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
The ability to disconnect intentionally from these overwhelming stimuli—to reclaim one’s focus, clarity, and feeling of immediacy—has become rare and precious.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unusual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unusual. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
