freak

1
[ freek ]
See synonyms for freak on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. any abnormal phenomenon or product or unusual object; anomaly; aberration.

  2. a person or animal on exhibition as an example of a strange deviation from nature.

  1. a sudden and apparently causeless change or turn of events, the mind, etc.; an apparently capricious notion, occurrence, etc.: That kind of sudden storm is a freak.

  2. Numismatics. an imperfect coin, undetected at the mint and put into circulation.

  3. Philately. a stamp differing from others of the same printing because of creases, dirty engraving plates, etc.: Compare error (def. 8), variety (def. 7).

  4. Slang.

    • a person who has withdrawn from normal, rational behavior and activities to pursue one interest or obsession: a drug freak.

    • a devoted fan or follower; enthusiast: a baseball freak.

    • a hippie.

  5. Archaic. capriciousness; whimsicality.

adjective
  1. unusual; odd; irregular: a freak epidemic.

verb (used with or without object)
  1. to become or to make (someone) insane or out of control, as a result of being frightened, wildly excited, or high on drugs: Mom'll freak if she ever finds out we threw that party when she was out of town.The loud noise freaked the horses just as they were being loaded into trailers.

Verb Phrases
  1. freak out, Slang. See entry at freakout.

Origin of freak

1
First recorded in 1555–65; 1965–70 for def. 6; perhaps akin to Old English frīcian “to dance”

Other words for freak

Other definitions for freak (2 of 2)

freak2
[ freek ]

verb (used with object)
  1. to fleck, streak, or variegate: great splashes of color freaking the sky.

noun
  1. a fleck or streak of color.

Origin of freak

2
Apparently introduced by Milton in Lycidas (1637), perhaps as blend of freck to mark with spots (perhaps back formation from freckle) and streak

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use freak in a sentence

  • There is no accounting for the freaks of these military Americanos, so I went to my bed.

    Boy Scouts in the Philippines | G. Harvey Ralphson
  • Her fancies and freaks it was beyond the power of the most astute of her ministers to predict or to comprehend.

  • To an unaccustomed eye from below he might have been a part of nature's freaks among the sand rocks.

    The Way of an Indian | Frederic Remington
  • She's Mar-ston's daughter, all right, and her father understands how erratic she is and makes allowances for her freaks.

    Blow The Man Down | Holman Day
  • But freaks of this sort had little real weight beside the steady support which the Queen gave to the Primate in his work of order.

    History of the English People | John Richard Green

British Dictionary definitions for freak (1 of 2)

freak1

/ (friːk) /


noun
  1. a person, animal, or plant that is abnormal or deformed; monstrosity

    • an object, event, etc, that is abnormal or extremely unusual

    • (as modifier): a freak storm

  1. a personal whim or caprice

  2. informal a person who acts or dresses in a markedly unconventional or strange way

  3. informal a person who is obsessed with something specified: a jazz freak

verb

Origin of freak

1
C16: of obscure origin

British Dictionary definitions for freak (2 of 2)

freak2

/ (friːk) rare /


noun
  1. a fleck or streak of colour

verb
  1. (tr) to streak with colour; variegate

Origin of freak

2
C17: from earlier freaked, probably coined by Milton, based on streak 1 + obsolete freckt freckled; see freckle

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012