outré
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of outré
First recorded in 1715–25; from French, past participle of outrer “to push beyond bounds” ( outrage )
Explanation
Outre things are eccentric or shockingly strange. Your outre outfit might be fine to wear to a Halloween party but less appropriate for a job interview. The adjective outre is often spelled with its French accent: outré. In French, this word means "exaggerated, excessive, or extreme," and is a past participle of the verb outrer, "to carry to excess or overdo," from outre, "beyond." If something is beyond what's considered normal or ordinary, it's outre: "His one-man play was so bizarrely outre that the audience didn't know how to respond."
Vocabulary lists containing outre
English Words Derived from French, List 10
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This Week In Culture: January 25–31, 2019
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The Call of Chtulhu
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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.
Wineman isn’t afraid to spelunk truly deranged depths, but what’s remarkable is how much style he incorporates into the film’s most outré moments.
From Salon • Apr. 5, 2026
That may have been outré to a middle and high-schooler trying to be cool, but at some point post-college, the Chili Peppers became synonymous with sweaty fools passing out in strip mall parking lots.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
Like such previously outré Lanthimos features as “Dogtooth,” “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” and “The Lobster,” the movie is a bleak comedy that generates severe discomfort amid its absurdity.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 23, 2025
But not all of Marlon’s brainstorms were so outré, and here is the Brando’s principal innovative success.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2024
Some were very outré, coarse and vulgar, but two of them were agreeable and very civil.
From A Sailor of King George by Bevan, A. Beckford
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.
