freak

1 of 4

noun

ˈfrēk 

plural freaks

1

: someone or something that differs markedly from what is usual or standard

When you first start golf, unless you're some freak, usually you suck.

—Hunter Pertee, quoted in The Daily Record (Wooster, Ohio)

: such as

a

slang, sometimes disparaging : someone whose behavior, dress, etc. is considered socially or culturally atypical

"This is about being up in people's faces," says a man with … multiple piercings. "It's me saying, 'I am a freak. I am queer. I'm not like you. And I don't want to be like you, either.'"

—Guy Trebay

She becomes visibly indignant while recounting a recent run-in …, where her guitar tech, who resembles a slightly punkier version of Slash, was stopped and frisked by police for no other reason than "he kind of looks like a freak."

—Sarah Vowell

b

disparaging + usually offensive : a person with a physical abnormality

c

: an atypical postage stamp usually caused by a unique defect in paper (such as a crease) or a unique event in the manufacturing process (such as a speck of dirt on the plate) that does not produce a constant or systematic effect

2

a

: an ardent enthusiast

film freaks

Two grilled serrano chilies, meanwhile, made this chili freak very happy, and two types of salsa brought out with our meal were superb …

—Ullia Zettie

b

: a person who is obsessed with something

a fitness freak

I'm a neat freak. I admit it. But with a cat, two dogs and two children, it's tough to keep everything clean.

—Debra Dickerson

see also control freak

c

slang : a person who uses an illicit drug

a coke freak

see also speed freak

3

a

: an odd, unexpected, or seemingly capricious action or event

The Royal London Hospital is just up the Whitechapel Road and by a freak of good fortune, not only had its accident and emergency doctors gathered for a meeting on 7 July, but workers for the London Air Ambulance service were also holding a conference. Thirty-two trauma doctors and paramedics from all over the capital were a few hundred yards from the blast site …

—Nick Cohen

b

: a sudden and odd or seemingly pointless idea or way of thinking

Her [Lady Caroline Lamb's] fame resides in her reputation for outrageous behaviour. … Neither … her husband, William Lamb, nor her aristocratic family, the Ponsonbys and Spensers, thought her writing anything more than the freak of an idle and sometimes overwrought mind.

—Claire Harman

Every thing is governed by whim; and if one member starts a new freak, away all the rest follow on like wild geese in a string.

—Washington Irving

… you should be able to stop and go on, and follow this way or that, as the freak takes you …

—Robert Louis Stevenson

4

archaic : a whimsical quality or disposition

freak

2 of 4

adjective

: not natural, normal, or likely

He was the victim of a freak accident.

a freak occurrence

freak

3 of 4

verb (1)

freaked; freaking; freaks

transitive verb

1

: to make greatly distressed, astonished, or discomposed

—often used with out

the news freaked them out

2

: to put under the influence of a psychedelic drug

—often used with out

intransitive verb

1

: to withdraw from reality especially by taking drugs

—often used with out

2

: to experience nightmarish hallucinations as a result of taking drugs

—often used with out

3

a

: to behave irrationally or unconventionally under the influence of drugs

—often used with out

b

: to react with extreme or irrational distress or discomposure

—often used with out

freak

4 of 4

verb (2)

freaked; freaking; freaks

transitive verb

: to streak especially with color

silver and mother-of-pearl freaking the intense azure

—Robert Bridges †1930

Synonyms

Noun

• abnormality
• anomaly
• monster
• monstrosity

Adjective

• aberrant
• aberrated
• abnormal
• anomalous
• atypical
• especial
• exceeding
• exceptional
• extraordinaire
• extraordinary
• odd
• peculiar
• phenomenal
• preternatural
• rare
• singular
• uncommon
• uncustomary
• unique
• unusual
• unwonted

Verb (1)

• agitate
• ail
• alarm
• alarum
• bother
• concern
• derail
• discomfort
• discompose
• dismay
• disquiet
• distemper
• distract
• distress
• disturb
• exercise
• flurry
• frazzle
• fuss
• hagride
• perturb
• undo
• unhinge
• unsettle
• upset
• weird out
• worry

Examples of freak in a Sentence

Noun

eccentric, artistic types whom many regarded as freaks

I had a terrible rash on my face, and I felt like a freak.

Adjective

He was the victim of a freak accident.

even weather forecasters seemed surprised by the freak hailstorm

Verb (1)

don't talk about death, as it totally freaks me out

the landlady totally freaked out when she saw the dead body in the hall

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

What prompted the freak-out was Netflix’s warning that growth in the first part of 2022 would be slowing down — way down, as in nearly half of the 2021 Q1 growth. —Vulture, 28 Jan. 2022

The latest episode of the Fox first responder series saw a freak storm system wreak havoc at a carnival, particularly for a newly single dad, Trevor (Lucifer's D.B. Woodside), who had to be rescued by the 126 twice in one day. —Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 25 Jan. 2023

Adjective

The injury came in freak fashion when running to the second level to deliver a block on a linebacker. —Dallas News, 19 Oct. 2022

Officials in Kansas say a man has died after he was shot by his dog in a freak hunting accident. —Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 24 Jan. 2023

Verb

Janko freaks out and demands to see the shooter face to face, jumping out of bed. —Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2024

Jess, meanwhile, is freaking out about the presence of Sam, who rejected her at Halloween. —Esther Zuckerman, TIME, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun, Adjective, and Verb (1)

origin unknown

Verb (2)

perhaps from or akin to freckle entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 3b

Adjective

1890, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1964, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1638, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing freak

• control freak
• freak of fate
• freak of nature
• freak-out
• freak show
• neat freak
• speed freak

Kids Definition

freak

1 of 3 noun

ˈfrēk 

1

a

: a sudden strange idea : whim

b

: a strange, abnormal, or unusual person, thing, or event

2

a

: enthusiast

a movie freak

b

: a person who is obsessed with something

a control freak

freakish

ˈfrē-kish

adjective

freakishly adverb

freakishness noun

freak

2 of 3 adjective

: being or suggesting a freak : improbable

a freak accident

freak

3 of 3 verb

: to disturb one's calmness of mind : upset

—usually used with out

the news freaks me out