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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

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

When Skarsgård took the stage to accept his award — to the tune of Usher’s “Yeah!,” for some reason — that scene from “Sentimental Value” was almost eerily prescient.

From Salon • Jan. 13, 2026

The envelope was thick, the paper eerily familiar as I took in Elliot’s name hastily written across the front in his own handwriting.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

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.