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Synonyms

eerily

American  
[eer-i-lee] / ˈɪər ɪ li /

adverb

  1. in a spooky or uncanny way that makes one uneasy; weirdly.

    The town empties out eerily at this time of day, giving it a ghostly appearance that visitors find disconcerting.

Etymology

Origin of eerily

eeri(e) + -ly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

DUBAI—Video clips released by Iranian-backed Iraqi militias this week looked eerily familiar to anyone who has followed the war in Ukraine.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

The room’s furniture remains eerily static, while their bodies’ movements leave traces imprinted around the frame.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

It looks eerily similar to the same type of candle from Oct.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

"When the city realised what was happening, they issued a stay at home order," he said, adding that the streets suddenly became "eerily quiet".

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

The man’s gestures as he broke the kola nut apart into five lobes were eerily like Nnaemeka’s, as was the set of his mouth, with the lower lip jutting out.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.