strange

[ streynj ]

/ streɪndʒ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR strange ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, strang·er, strang·est.

unusual, extraordinary, or curious; odd; queer: a strange remark to make.

estranged, alienated, etc., as a result of being out of one's natural environment: I felt strange as I walked through the crowded marketplace.

situated, belonging, or coming from outside of one's own locality; foreign: to move to a strange place; strange religions.

outside of one's previous experience; hitherto unknown; unfamiliar: strange faces; strange customs.

unaccustomed to or inexperienced in; unacquainted (usually followed by to): I'm strange to this part of the job.

distant or reserved; shy.

adverb

in a strange manner.

Nearby words

strand line, strand wolf, stranded, strandloper, strandwolf, strange, strange attractor, strange bedfellows, strange interlude, strange matter, strange particle

Origin of strange

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French estrange < Latin extrāneus; see extraneous

SYNONYMS FOR strange

1 bizarre, singular, abnormal, anomalous. Strange, peculiar, odd, queer refer to that which is out of the ordinary. Strange implies that the thing or its cause is unknown or unexplained; it is unfamiliar and unusual: a strange expression. That which is peculiar mystifies, or exhibits qualities not shared by others: peculiar behavior. That which is odd is irregular or unconventional, and sometimes approaches the bizarre: an odd custom. Queer sometimes adds to odd the suggestion of something abnormal and eccentric: queer in the head.

6 aloof.

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ANTONYMS FOR strange

4–6 familiar.

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Related forms

strange·ly, adverbun·strange, adjectiveun·strange·ly, adverbun·strange·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for strange

In front of this strange structure are two blank-faced, well-dressed models showing off the latest in European minimalism.
New York’s Most Tragic Ghost Loves Minimalist Swedish Fashion|Nina Strochlic|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The Strange Social History of Our Most Intimate Institution.
The Real Story Behind the Fight for Marriage Equality|E.J. Graff|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In another year, stories about the strange new face of an A-list actress might draw chortles and cackles.
Renée Zellweger Got a New Face—and Everyone Had An Opinion About It|Kevin O’Keeffe|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Like, OK, to be around them when we were away from work is great, but being at work was still kind of strange for me.
How A Company’s Support of Gay Employees Helped One of Them To Come Out||December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

But, strange to say, Cocker never got inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Greatest Rock Voice of All Time Belonged to Joe Cocker|Ted Gioia|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We ascended a very darksome flight of stairs, and a door was opened by a strange little man.
Hawthorne and His Circle|Julian Hawthorne
He was moving away himself, when his eyes lit upon a strange sight, and one which sent a tingling through his skin.
The White Company|Arthur Conan Doyle
And with this double collapse had come a strange irresistible resurgence of early feelings and forgotten superstitions.
Ghetto Tragedies|Israel Zangwill
The people may wonder for a few days at the strange haste, but my answer shall be that I am going to the front with my troops.
The Mad King|Edgar Rice Burroughs
The ancient city presented a strange and desolate appearance on the succeeding morning, in the neighbourhood of the public square.
The Cavaliers of Virginia, vol. 1 of 2|William A. Caruthers

British Dictionary definitions for strange

strange

/ (streɪndʒ) /

adjective

odd, unusual, or extraordinary in appearance, effect, manner, etc; peculiar

not known, seen, or experienced before; unfamiliara strange land

not easily explaineda strange phenomenon

(usually foll by to) inexperienced (in) or unaccustomed (to)strange to a task

not of one's own kind, locality, etc; alien; foreign

shy; distant; reserved

strange to say it is unusual or surprising that

physics

denoting a particular flavour of quark
denoting or relating to a hypothetical form of matter composed of such quarksstrange matter; a strange star

adverb

not standard in a strange manner

Derived Forms

strangely, adverb

Word Origin for strange

C13: from Old French estrange, from Latin extrāneus foreign; see extraneous

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

strange

adjective, strang·er, strang·est.

adverb

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Nearby words

Origin of strange

SYNONYMS FOR strange

ANTONYMS FOR strange

Related forms

Examples from the Web for strange

British Dictionary definitions for strange

strange

adjective

adverb

Derived Forms

Word Origin for strange