atypical
Americanadjective
adjective
Usage
What does atypical mean? Atypical is used to describe something that does not conform to the norm or that is irregular, such as an atypical behavior or an atypical action. Something that is atypical differs in a noticeable way from other items of its kind. An atypical flower might be a flower that glows in the dark (if you discover one, let us know!). An atypical horror film could be one in which the monster tries to be friends with everyone rather than kill them. Example: These fixtures are atypical of our usual products.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of atypical
Explanation
Typical means what you would expect—a typical suburban town has lots of neat little houses and people. Atypical means outside of type—an atypical suburban town might be populated by zombies in damp caves. Atypical is a synonym of "unusual," but it carries a more objective feel—scientific studies might mention atypical results, suggesting that there is a clear definition of what is typical and what is not. "Unusual" is more of a casual observation that one might make in a non-scientific context.
Vocabulary lists containing atypical
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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.
Geese had an atypical, if kind of old-fashioned, run on the hype train for a young rock band.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
"CD4 CTLs are an atypical and relatively rare T cell population," Hashimoto says.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 25, 2026
There are two types of absence seizures: typical and atypical.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
"This has been a really difficult, atypical year," she said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
So Bobby decided to use an atypical approach—one unusual for Byrne to face and for Bobby to try.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
