uncharacteristic
Britishadjective
Explanation
When something is uncharacteristic, it's not typical or expected. Snow in South Carolina is uncharacteristic, even in January. Your uncharacteristic silence might prompt your friends to worry about you, especially if you're normally the most talkative one in the room. On the other hand, an uncharacteristic win for your school's football team may fill you with uncharacteristic school spirit. Characteristic means "typical of a person or thing," and when you add the prefix un-, "not," you get its direct opposite.
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.
On Monday, the 77-year-old took to social-media platform X for the first time to amplify his uncharacteristic missive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Has battling this uncharacteristic slump taught him anything?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
While the new conclusion made some sense for Andie — a lovestruck teenager still trying to balance perspective with hormones — Iona altering her appearance so drastically for a man remains uncharacteristic.
From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2026
"I thought Steve made some very uncharacteristic comments about a title decider against France," Japan head coach Jones added.
From BBC ● Feb. 24, 2026
As for Desdemona, during the mid-to-late fifties she was experiencing a brief and completely uncharacteristic spell of contentment.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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.
